Reconnecting Youth (RY)

Increased School Performance | Decreased Drug Involvement | Decreased Emotional Distress

♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦  ♦
 

What is Reconnecting Youth?

Reconnecting Youth (RY) is an evidence-based prevention program for teens at risk for school dropout and co-occurring problems. RY includes a semester-long class, with just 10-12 students, that can be integrated into any middle or high school setting and offered for a grade and credit. The RY Class combines a positive peer group culture with skills training in five engaging modules:

• Getting Started
• Self-Esteem Enhancement
• Decision Making
• Personal Control
• Interpersonal Communication

What are the goals?

The goals of RY are to help youth build coping skills and competencies, increase time spent in healthy activities, and enhance social support resources. All RY students work on and support others in the RY Program Goals:

1. Increased School Achievement  
2. Increased Mood Management
3. Decreased Drug Involvement

How does it work?

The Reconnecting Youth Program has been rigorously tested and is included on multiple Evidence-Based Programs listings.

• The RY program begins with an individual invitation to join. Youth must be offered an option and not mandated to take RY.  
• RY is taught in a small-group context with a teacher-to student ratio of 1:10-12.
• A trained Facilitator teaches the RY class within the regular school day.
• Class structure and process includes student participation and responsibilities for decision making and problem solving.
• RY is a skills training curriculum embedded in a positive peer group culture.

Please join a Facilitator Training Series to learn all about how and why Reconnecting Youth works!

Who can Participate?

An RY Class is designed to serve middle & high school students who:

• Are behind in credits for their grade level
• Are in the top 25th percentile for absences
• Have a GPA of less than 2.3 or a recent steep drop in grades
• Have a prior dropout status
• Or are referred by school personnel & meet 1 or more of the above criteria

RY also incorporates several social support mechanisms for participating youth:

• Bonding activities to improve teens’ relationships and improve their repertoire of safe, healthy activities
• Development of a crisis response plan that details the school’s suicide prevention approaches
• Active parental consent for their teen’s participation and ongoing support of their teen’s RY goals

Pay-Offs...

RY works to reduce suicide-risk behaviors, depression, hopelessness, anxiety, anger, and drug involvement; while increasing school bonding and social resources (family support).

• Increase School Performance – grades, attendance, and credits earned.
• Increase Mood Management – depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and anger.
• Decrease Drug Involvement – alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use, drug use control problems and adverse drug use consequences.
• Decrease Suicide Risk Factors – global suicide risk behaviors, ideation, threats, attempts and positive attitudes toward suicide.
• Increase Protective Factors – personal control, problem-solving and coping, and access to support.

Rollover Images for Our Statistics

Read more about the most significant Findings from the RY Studies!

Recommended NEW Partner Program: Family Engagement! For caregivers of RY & CAST Program youth.