Kings View Ready, Set, Go! - Madera, California

The Kings View Ready, Set, Go! Program is available to youth ages 16-21 who are in school as well as out of school for the following services: job shadowing, life-skills training, employment and work readiness training, career counseling, work experience, leadership development, and computer skills training. 

Kings View Ready, Set, Go! established a working relationship with EDSC in September 2003. In January of 2004, the program commenced preparing PSWs to assist with outreach and recruitment.  PSWs conducted surveys on what attracts youth to programs, identified local youth hot spots, and gathered information on the interests and dislikes of the target population.  As a result of employing the EDSC model, RSG was able to increase its out of school youth enrollments by 40%.  They had their very first MAKiN' iT Day in June of 2008 and the current crew of PSWs is their fifth group to be trained and employed by RSG. 

The program attributes its continuing recruitment success to the EDSC Youth Cultural Competence engagement model. Based in a rural area of Central California, RSG has been able to reach youth who most thought were unreachable, and maintain above average program participation. 

Tracie Scott Contreras –One Stop Manager
“One of the exciting things that our center has been involved with recently was made possible because of the partnerships with Madera County and The Madera County Community College Center.  We have developed technology related classes and have been offering them for free to youth.  What I like the most are the connections between participating youth and the One Stop, and the fact that the classes are getting youth in the front door. Another really cool thing is that the youth who participated received college credit, as well as a free computer and free access to the internet for one year.  This was made possible because of external grant funding and sponsorship by the Picayune Rancheria Tribe.”

“Edward and the whole EDSC team have really re-energized the staff, and in fact the center, by making us all aware of more effective ways to interact with and engage youth.  We are having more and more youth at the center lately and this helps us focus on the fact that these young people are the future of our community.  As the staff has more opportunities to interface with local teens and young adults we are learning better how to look past initial impressions and get to know the person inside. I personally am very grateful for this.”

Bonnie Hardin - Case manager
“The curriculum does help to motivate youth. It captivates them better and they get more excited by its lessons and activities than by a typical lecture.  The MAKiN' iT Curriculum is participation and motivation driven, with a come on and get involved energy to it.”

“As staff, we want to be aware of how to reach our youth and the EDSC training gave us avenues to find that information out.”

Ruby Martinez - Lead Trainer/Mentor of Peer Support Workers
“I believe in the help me help you method where RSG and the curriculum from EDSC are like a brightly lit road full of FEO, positive activities, and just ways of getting off the street.  It is up to the youth to accept the opportunity and find the courage and motivation within themselves to follow the road and leave the negativity behind them.”

Zac Avila - Peer Support Worker
“Since MAKiN' iT Day I’ve always felt I’ve had an extra push, because it showed me that there are actually people out there that care enough to help you succeed.  There are moments when I just sit and think of the opportunities that were given to me and I can’t help but smile.  I know the work experience I’ve gotten so far is definitely a push in the right direction.”

Michael Suarez- Peer Support Worker
“Since MAKiN' iT Day, I definitely see things differently now- like when I see my friends doing something bad it makes me think back to the examples  that were set  during the program.  If my friends invite me to a party, I check to see if there is drinking involved, and if there is, I don’t go.  Being a PSW makes me feel happy because it makes me step out of my shell a little bit more.  I feel like I am a good example to the participants in the program because I do not smoke or drink and they know it.”

Johnnie Hendrix, Peer Support Worker
“Since the time I was one of the PSWs at MAKiN' iT Day, now when I am walking down the street and I see the participants from the event, they don’t look the other way, they say hello to me.  Overall the day was fun.”

How I feel about my role as a PSW in the R.S.G. program is that right now I am seeing that the participants ask me for help more often than they ask staff. That tells me they trust me and look to me to help them.  I like that.”

Contact Us to see how we can help you!

For an overview of what we offer please review Specialized Youth Engagement Services and Staff/Youth Training.