In New York City public high schools, on average, there is one school counselor for 221 students and many schools do not have a full time staff member devoted to postsecondary counseling.
A Peer-to-Peer Approach to Postsecondary Planning Support
CARA’s Right to College program addresses the postsecondary guidance gap for first-generation college students, low-income students, and students of color by training 11th and 12th graders as Youth Leaders who support their peers through the postsecondary exploration and college application process.
Youth Leaders most often work out of Student Success Centers, located on multi-school or large campuses run by community-based organizations in partnership with the schools they serve.
Youth Leaders:
Develop and implement a plan to strengthen the culture of postsecondary exploration and planning in their school
Facilitate early awareness workshops for 9th and 10th graders
Support 11th and 12th graders to create well-balanced lists of postsecondary options
Work one-on-one with 25-50 12th graders on postsecondary applicationand financial aid processes
Participate in CARA Right to College training to develop their own career pathways and skillset
This report documents the evolution of Student Success Centers. This model of collaboration between schools and CBOs–with trained high school students at its center–grew out of advocacy efforts by young people. This report defines best practices for Student Success Centers and explains why their existence & growth is central to postsecondary access in NYC.
Youth Leaders – carefully selected high school students that work under the supervision of CBO and/or school-based staff – have 70+ hours of comprehensive training in college access content. Training includes the following:
Post Secondary Options: • Myths & Realities
• Challenges to the College Process
• Career Exploration
• Key Policy Issues
Search & Application Process: • College List Making
• CUNY System
• SUNY System
• Private Colleges
• Personal Statement Writing
Career Pathway Development • Advocacy & Civic Engagement • Self-Evaluation and Goal Setting in the Workplace • Time Management • Work-Life Balance • Resume Development • Networking
Financial Aid: • Types of Aid
• FAFSA Process
• Financial Aid Packages
• Opportunity Programs
Working With Students: • Counseling Skills
• Supporting Undocumented Students
• Workshop Facilitation
• Data Tracking
CARA provides coaching support to new and existing sites to develop strong partnerships in the following ways:
Professional Development Support:
Coaching visits to guide the work being done and provide resources
Support to Programming and Student Success Center (SSC) Development:
Development of systems for communication between SSC and schools
Materials created for each site as needed
Assistance planning campus-wide events and workshops
Collaborative sessions to plan Youth Leader training
Sharing of resources and opportunities to help SSC staff with program development and student support
Mid and end-of-year assessment using program rubrics developed by CARA
Evaluation Support:
Data tracking support
Quarterly data snapshots with feedback
CARA supports furthering the development of our model through:
Collaboration with NYC Public School’s Office of Student Pathways to further develop the Student Success Center model and connect it to system-wide priorities and initiatives
Support for securing additional funds, as needed
Advocacy, in partnership with the Student Success Center Coalition, for continued funding
Advocacy within NYC Department of Education for recognition and resources for the model
Hire appropriate staff to supervise Youth Leaders and manage postsecondary office
Develop collaborative approach between CBO and school(s), defining goals and action plan together and ensuring regular communication about program implementation and student progress
CBO and Schools Hire & Supervise Youth Leaders
Recruit and hire Youth Leaders (2/small school)
Pay Youth Leader for training and work time (minimum wage)
Provide regular supervision to Youth Leaders
School Provides Space & Time for Youth Leader Work
Establish a centrally located postsecondary office or Student Success Center
Identify periods of time in schedule for Youth Leaders to work with students in groups and one-on-one
Designate time in calendar for pathway exploration events
CBO and Schools Participate in Training & Evaluation
Ensure Youth Leaders and supervisors attend summer and academic year training
Participate in conference planning and facilitation
Track and report aggregate data to CARA and participate in assessments
“Without CARA, I wouldn’t be as confident as I am now.”
“Before this job, I didn’t realize all the different pathways I could go into. The training I’ve received with CARA has empowered me to think for myself and helps me be confident in making big decisions.”
Eileen Concepcion
Former Youth Leader at High School for Fashion Industries
“Without the support of the SSC I would not have achieved many things, like becoming the President of my school’s National Honor Society or becoming a Youth Leader.”
“My role as a Youth Leader in the SSC has also allowed me to help other students in their academics, encouraging them to believe in themselves and to ask for support when it is needed. My SSC makes me feel like I am being seen and that I matter in my community.”
Malik Mattison
Former Youth Leader at the Brooklyn School of Math and Research
“Using the advocacy skills I learned as a Youth Leader, I asked my college if I could do my work-study position with the SSC at my high school.”
“I got to keep helping my community… I was a psychology major and wanted to be a school psychologist at first – but then I looked into counseling and realized that I had a lot of skills from being a Youth Leader so I decided to pursue a Masters in Counseling after I graduated.”
Anna Cruz
Former Youth Leader at A. Philip Randolph High School