Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
RISE youth program wins $250,000 grant, expands mentoring and job placements
Summary
RISE, a year‑round youth program serving at‑risk young people, reported strong attendance, summer hires and a $250,000 grant; leaders outlined plans to scale case management, school partnerships, and workforce pathways.
City council heard a presentation on the RISE youth program, which serves at‑risk youth ages 10–17 and focuses on mentoring, academic support, workforce readiness and civic engagement. Program leaders and families described high participation and measurable early outcomes.
Program manager D'Shawn Mims and director Esther (presentation lead) said the program launched in January and now averages 15–25 youth in Saturday programming with a 95% Saturday attendance rate and an 85% retention rate. The program reported hiring six youth during the summer and conducting roughly 250 case‑management touchpoints and 40 community events to date. "These are the youth that, if they pass us by, you may later see them in the criminal system," one program speaker said, calling the work preventive.
Funding and partnerships: RISE secured a $250,000 grant from the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg and reported pilot funding from the city and Department of Juvenile Justice appropriation requests. Leaders also announced a memorandum of understanding with Pinellas County Schools to place mentors in schools and increase coordination on academic supports.
Council members praised the program and urged broader collaboration. Several elected officials highlighted the linkage between RISE and other reentry and prevention efforts such as Hidden Voices, PATH and community mentoring.
Next steps: RISE will recruit case managers, deepen school partnerships, scale workforce placements and pursue sustainability through a mix of philanthropic and public funding.
