| |
Catholic Charities Community Services Southside
Organizational Overview:
Founded over twenty years ago as a collaboration of area St.
Vincent de Paul Conferences, Catholic Charities Community Services
Southside (CCCS Southside) has become one of the St. Louis Area’s
leaders in culturally competent outreach and services among the diverse
immigrant and refugee community. As part of Catholic Charities of the
Archdiocese of St. Louis, CCCS Southside’s mission is to support and
strengthen St. Louis Metropolitan Area children, families, and
communities by providing social services, mental health counseling, and
youth development programming in a bilingual, culturally sensitive
environment. The agency is comprised of three departments: Social
Services, Mental Health, and Youth Services. The agency served nearly
1,000 clients in 2008. Over 60% of clients served were Hispanic/Latino,
approximately 30% of clients served were Vietnamese, the remaining 10%
of clients represent a range of ethnicities and countries of origin
including Nepal, Somalia, Togo, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and others.
Youth Services Overview:
The
mission of the Youth Services Department is to provide culturally
competent services to children, youth, and their families by
implementing low cost year-round quality youth development programs
which address the academic, physical, social, and emotional needs of
each individual through organized activities provided in a safe,
structured, and inclusive environment. Ninety-five percent of over 100
students currently served weekly at CCCS Southside are English language
learners, and over ninety-seven percent qualify for free and reduced
meals at their schools. The Youth Services Department at CCCS Southside
follows the youth development model and meets Missouri State Standards
for quality after school programming.
Southside Soccer Club Program Overview:
Based
on a needs assessment conducted among CCCS Southside immigrant and
refugee families, 70% of parents and guardians of students currently
enrolled say that health and fitness are important goals for their
children, with childhood obesity being a primary concern in
Hispanic/Latino families specifically. Unfortunately, parents say there
are very few resources that these families can access to meet these
goals, because youth athletic programs in Missouri (1) are too
expensive, (2) are too competitive to allow their child access, (3) do
not provide transportation, and (4) do not have staff which speak the
primary languages of parents. The Southside Soccer Club is available to
any South City youth player from a low-income family, regardless of
soccer skill level, charges a small registration fee of 5 dollars per
player, provides transportation to youth players in Catholic Charities
vans with licensed drivers, and Youth Services staff speak the primary
languages of the majority of parents of youth players. The Youth
Services department solely focuses on projects that meet the academic,
social, emotional, and physical needs of each young person, and the
Southside Soccer Club aims specifically to improve physical and social
development for Youth Services clients. The Southside Soccer Club will
grow the sport of soccer in an underserved community in the St. Louis
metropolitan area by offering very low cost and high quality soccer
training to 25 immigrant and refugee teens that live in South City.
SOCCER AS A VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
The
Southside Soccer Club will help 6th-12th graders of diverse skill
levels, countries of origin, and life experiences build community
through sport. The Southside Soccer Club is currently the only such
program of its kind in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. With the
decreased access to recreational sports and exercise through the
schools due to funding limitations and the high stakes of No Child Left
Behind, many families are left with limited options for their children
and youth. The real and perceived obstacles of language and culture can
often create barriers to more established soccer programming, both
competitive and recreational. Research has proven that without
opportunities for educational and recreational community, many
disenfranchised youth will find negative and unhealthy alternatives to
positive peer associations and relationships. However, through the use
of a “universal” sport, language and cultural differences quickly
evaporate, replaced by a sense of team and community.
This is
the second annual Southside Soccer Club, and results from the first
program were extremely promising. The majority of participating players
showed progress in general skill level, dribbling, understanding of the
game, and social behavior as documented by the Youth Soccer Assessment
administered by the lead trainer. The lead trainer also noted that
many of the players showed a good work ethic, improved their soccer
skills, and presented a good attitude about the game, regardless of
their beginning skill level. The youth players said they looked forward
to the club sessions all week. Due to her Southside Soccer Club
experience, one of the players had the courage to try out for the
soccer team at her high school and made it. She says the other players
on her school team have told her they are impressed with her skills,
which she attributes in part to her natural talent and also to her
experience with the Southside Soccer Club.
Over all, trainers
and Youth Services staff noted improvement in soccer skills, social
skills, general athleticism, confidence and improvement in teamwork
among players of diverse skill levels and physical abilities. During
each session staff witnessed the energy on the field increase and
equalize, and every player would simultaneously become physically and
mentally engaged and active. By the end of the program, they felt like
a team. St. Louis Scott Gallagher provided in kind donations of jerseys
and soccer balls to each player, so they could continue their practice
at home. The trainers planned a field trip to a St. Louis Scott
Gallagher game to help participating youth feel part of the larger
soccer community here in St. Louis. Finally, the program culminated in
a Family Field Day, where Southside Soccer Club players played an
exhibition game for family members and friends in the community.
Southside Soccer Program Structure:
PROGRAM START DATE: Friday, March 5th, 2010
PROGRAM END DATE: Friday, May 28th, 2010
PROGRAM TIME: 4:30PM-6:00PM
PROGRAM LOCATION: Vetta Sports Soccerdome
ADDRESS: 220 East Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119
PHONE: (314) 962-9248
PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
(Field Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm)
Soccerdome Main Field: 3/5/10, 3/12/10, 3/19/10, 3/26/10, 4/9/10, 4/16/10, 4/23/10,4/30/10, 5/7/10, 5/14/10, 5/21/10, 5/28/10
*Note: No group 4/2/10 in observance of Good Friday
TARGET
POPULATION: 25 6TH-12TH grade immigrant and refugee youth currently
enrolled in afterschool youth development programming provided by CCCS
Southside Youth Services
STAFFING: 1 Lead Trainer and 1 Assistant Trainer
PROGRAM
GOAL: Southside Soccer Club is a recreational soccer program which
aims to help each youth player, regardless of ability, improve soccer
skills, engage in safe athletic competition, and learn teamwork through
high quality soccer training and free play, while promoting physical
and social development for all participants.
PROGRAM SUMMARY:
Southside Soccer Club will take place during the Spring semester of
2010 and will serve 25 6th-12th grade youth registered with Catholic
Charities Community Services Southside Youth Services. The program
will take place once per week off site at the Vetta Sports Soccerdome
from March 5th , 2010 to May 28th, 2010. 20 youth players will receive
transportation in two vans with licensed drivers provided by Catholic
Charities Community Services, Southside Center, and will arrive at the
Soccerdome at 4:30pm. Two professional soccer trainers from St. Louis
Scott Gallagher will meet with youth players for one and a half hours
once per week on an indoor soccer field consecutive Fridays from
4:30-6:00pm.
During field time, trainers will provide direct
soccer instruction to two practice teams of youth tailored to their
skill levels for 45 minutes each session, and will allow 45 minutes for
free play. At the end of each session, trainers will provide any
needed feedback to youth regarding soccer skill development. Trainers
will follow “Best Practices” for coaching youth soccer (United States
Soccer Federation), and will create a forum for youth to test ball
skills and game awareness in a way which allows each youth to build
his/her skill base. Adult volunteers will attend sessions to support
skill and social development in youth players, and will act as mentors.
A Youth Services staff member will be present with student emergency
contact information and first aid materials during all Southside Soccer
Club Sessions, will supervise pick up, drop off, and other needs or
behavior issues of participants, as well as coordinate scheduling with
the Soccerdome.
The Youth Services staff member and trainers
will ask youth players to create and sign a “Players’ Contract”
outlining their expectations and goals for their club. Youth players
will be provided a nutritious snack and water at each session. The
program will culminate in a soccer-related field trip organized by
trainers and Youth Services staff, inspired by the learning goals and
interest areas of youth players.
PROGRAM EVALUATION PLAN:
Trainers will create and/or edit the Youth Soccer Assessment and will
complete this observational pre and post assessment for each youth
enrolled in the Southside Soccer Club. Pre assessments will be
completed upon the 4th contact with youth players and post assessments
will be completed by June 4th, 2010. Each youth will be invited to
rate and comment on their own progress, and will be surveyed for
satisfaction at the end of the program. Outcomes will be disseminated
to stakeholders.
PROGRAM DESIGN AND TIMELINE:
1. By January 29, 2010: Planning meeting with Soccer Trainers, Youth Services Coordinator, and Youth Education Specialist.
2. By February 5th, 2010: Trainers complete edits of Player Evaluation
3. By Feburary 19th, 2010: Player enrollment completed and transportation list finalized
4. On March 5th, 2010: First session. Ground rules set. Player contracts signed.
5.
By March 26th, 2010: Soccer Trainers complete a pre assessment for
each youth in their practice team using the Youth Soccer Assessment.
6. By April 9th, 2010: Soccer Trainers and Youth Services Coordinator begin coordinating field trip based on player feedback.
7.
On May 28th, 2010: Final session. Parents of players are invited to
the Soccerdome to watch their children play a final game
8. On May 29th, 2010 (tentative date): Players participate in a field trip to mark the culmination of the program
9.
By June 4th, 2010: Trainers complete a post assessment for each youth
in their practice team. Youth Services staff debrief with trainers to
make improvements for next year.
ADOPT A PLAYER:
For $144
dollars per player (at 25 players), the outside expenses are covered
for the Southside Soccer Club. This amount excludes the final field
trip. Including the field trip, the amount comes to $150 dollars per
player. The complete budget can be provided upon request (to request - click here).
Adopt a Player Form - click here
|
|