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California State University, Long Beach Foundation
6300 State University Drive, Suite 125,
Long Beach, CA
(562) 985-5330 (Phone)
(562) 985-7951 (Fax)

California State University, Long Beach Foundation (CSULB) is California's second largest university and was ranked as one of the top three public master's universities in 2009. It is recognized for its diversity, breadth and value of its education and relative low cost. Its community-based, mission-driven focus offers an environment wherein academic enrichment, health education and mentoring can be provided in one of the most 10 diverse and successful public universities in the country.

Youth Empowerment for Success (YES!)
$300,000
Britt Rios Ellis
(562) 985-7639 (Phone)
bellis@csulb.edu

Abstract

Long Beach Latino youth face many health challenges, including lack of physical fitness, violence, sexual and mental health issues and lack of access to adequate care. This project intends to address these problems by providing a nurturing environment that focuses on cultural assets of Latino youth to minimize their chances for engaging in health risk behaviors. The project will specifically target 34 Latino youth sixth through eighth grade each year. The project will promote physical fitness, sexual health, mental wellbeing, violence prevention, and academic success by providing Latino middle school students with educational, social and physical development support. It will provide a supportive, culturally-relevant environment to promote academic success, building structured but flexible supportive long-term relationships with peers and mentors. It will conduct skill building and project-based learning activities to foster communication, promote a positive self concept, amplify overall life options and expose participants to a broader social world through university visits and community service. Expected outcomes include improved academic performance, increased ability to engage in goal-setting, reduction in violent behaviors and improved dietary behaviors. Performance measures include increase in participants' GPA, increased desire of participants to attend college and a decrease in the number of hours spent per week watching TV. The evaluation will be ongoing and multifaceted. Measures will be collected prior to and after participation in the project. Measures include survey questions, interviews with partially open-ended questions and school records.

• Approach and methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions conducted

OMH objective(s) toward which the project's results most contribute:

• Increased awareness, education, & outreach to address racial/ethnic minority health & health disparities problems