Philadelphia Prevention Partnership

Objective #1 To provide 1000 (12.5%) of Latino seniors residing in predominately Latino sections with fire prevention educations, smoke detectors, batteries and installation.

This will include training (in English and Spanish) on fire prevention and the importance of early warning detection systems; surveying targeted homes; selling smoke detectors at a reduced rate; recruiting volunteers to distribute and install smoke detectors; follow-up house inspections 6 months after installation.

Agencies and centers used by seniors in predominantly Latino areas will be targeted: food centers. health centers. social service agencies. churches. block captains. This will be supported by public service announcements on radio stations serving the Spanish-speaking community.

YOUTH AND FUTURE LEADERSHIP Latino youth are Philadelphia’s poorest. They have the highest rates of illiteracy and suffer higher rates of my, asthma and other preventive illnesses which may in part be associated with higher drug and alcohol abuse.

Objective #2 To reduce the number of Latino juveniles entering the Juvenile Justice System.

LPI is working to promote and develop youth leadership by providing them with tangible skills in decision making, assertiveness. communications, political activism. volunteerism. public relations and fundraising. This will be done through a series of workshops and trainings. An intensive three-day retreat will follow to bring together a dozen of the youth culturally and socially. There will be community skills building. and conflict management skills training at. this retreat: a combination of. bonding, thinking together. working together, playing together -that is, building trust.

Youth win be targeted by local schools. probation department, PAL. CUNAD. Job Corps and other programs through which Latino youth pass.

EDUCATION Over half of Philadelphia’s Latino youth are not completing high school. Young people who drop out of school use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs at a higher rate and get started younger than those who complete school:

Objective #3 Develop a tutorial mentoring program using Latino college students as mentors and tutors for high school students, who will in turn work with the college students to tutor and mentor middle school students.

The program will work to build self-esteem. cultural and career awareness. It will provide a link of hope for younger students as they are receiving support and help from older students who are also Latino and successful students.

College and high school students will be trained and participate in extensive orientation sessions. The 29 tutoring sessions win be held at Taller Puertorriqueño. Students will be drawn from high schools and middle schools which have proportionally the highest number of Latino students.

IMMIGRATION Welfare reform has made a particularly aggressive attack on poor immigrants. Patch work solutions do exist. For instance, immigrants who lose SSI benefits in Pennsylvania will be eligible for state general assistance and medical assistance programs. But immigrants cannot face these problems on their own Case managers and social workers will play an even more critical role in helping immigrants navigate complex social service and public welfare systems.

Objective #4 To train social workers and case managers on the legal and public benefits issues facing immigrants and possible solutions. This will be done through a comprehensive manual and conducting  full-day training session. LPI committee working on this issue includes Asian and multi-cultural immigrant groups as well as Latino groups.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES Recent state changes in health care for the poor took effect in June 1996. moving 100% of Medicaid population into managed care services. To insure there is a continuity of health and welfare benefits, LPI is working to educate the communities affected with knowledge about Health Choices, Community Behavioral Health and other managed care issues to help citizens secure and maintain quality health care benefits. We will be building on last years work with Pennsylvania Health Law Project and Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth to provide trainings in the staff of social service agencies in Latino North Philadelphia. LPI coalition also forced the state to allow choice for community people and to be responsive to language and cultural needs of patients. In addition, consumer literature on the changes, rights and process involved have been reproduced and have been translated into Spanish.

Objective #5 Bring developed information to the community by organizing education and training sessions for residents and staff at schools, churches, community based organizations and other forums where community residents congregate. These sessions will be held throughout the year by the trained social service staff of social service agencies serving Latino North Philadelphia.

ARTS, CULTURE AND CULTURAL IDENTITY Arts are effective not only in enriching people’s lives, but building self-esteem and actually increasing young people’s literacy and ability to do well in school.

Objective #6 Through the arts LPI is planning to organize young and budding; Latino artists with existing Latino artists, by developing a network, creating a support system, creating communications system to promote their work as well as a directory of local Latino Artists. A forum will be pulled together for local artists to share their creativity and organize these needed networks and support systems.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT With the manufacturing sector drying up, Latinos are particularly hard hit. Our goals are to promote sustainable economic development by boosting economic literacy Within the community, creating wealth and assets within the community, developing partnerships with government and business entities essential to developing the community’s economic health.

Objective #7 In order to begin to promote sustainable economic development in the Latino community, LPI is working with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Private Industry Council, Fifth Street Business Association to meet with local banks and politicians to develop loans and other supports to improve and develop Latino businesses. We will hold a 2-day workshop on how to establish businesses and co–ops.

Objective #8 Develop a Business Community Exchange to assess and work with other business revitalization efforts on the east coast.

PUBLIC SAFETY goals are to advocate for early intervention and prevention of juvenile delinquency .through educational and recreational programs; and advocating for increase hiring of Latinos in the criminal justice system.

Objective #9 Develop a relationship with CBOs to identify and recruit qualified Latinos into law enforcement and public safety positions and conduct workshops through this organizations to educate the Latino community on their rights in dealing with law enforcement.

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT is working to create more and wider political options for the Latino community .

Objective #10 To work with block captains in Latino neighborhoods to educate people on the importance of voting and how to vote, and ultimate increase the number of voters particularly among the youth and the elderly.

LPI sees a major need in developing new leaders in the Latino community. These leaders will need skills and training.

Objective #11 Latino Leadership Institute will be set up through the Community School of Philadelphia to develop trainings needed by potential new leaders and existing leaders who need skills. Leaders will be identified through the various committee areas. Trainings wilI be open to anyone who wishes to attend and marketed through the committee structure.