The ACE Program: Achievement in Career and Education (ACE) Program

Tyrone Norfleet, a young man from our YAIP program, came in to share how grateful he is. He credited us with giving him his start. He said he uses the tools he learned during the interviewing and job readiness training process. He now works at the New York Times and understands how his behavior effects his promotions. He wants to come to the next graduation ceremony to speak to the new graduates.

If you are over 16, out of school, and without a job, you may want to explore ACE. The NYCID ACE program has three separate programs funded by NYC. Each one focuses on different goals and has slightly different requirements. All three include job readiness training.

As a participant you’ll learn the soft skills that businesses find current employees often don’t possess like work ethics, problem solving and other cognitive skills, oral communication skills, and Interpersonal and teamwork skills.

WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMS AT ACE?

We are currently recruiting for all three programs. The literacy program is ongoing throughout the year. The OSY Program begins in early November 2012, and the YAIP Program Begins in late November 2012.

The best thing is to make an appointment to figure out what’s best for you. We can answer your questions and schedule an interview and TABE Testing for every potential participant, usually on Mondays and Tuesday mornings from 10:00 am -12:00pm. We will schedule TABE Testing upon request as well.

Here’s an overview that may help you understand the three programs, though.

WIA OSY: Is an out of school program for 17-21 year old youth from low income families interested in a training program that will provide work readiness training and skills, assistance in defining career options, and lead to job placement.

If you are prepared to make a commitment, you will receive that work readiness training followed by preparation to become certified nursing assistants.

The work readiness training will begin in early November 2012 at 26 Bay Street 3^rd floor. The CNA classes will begin in December, 2012 on the CSI Campus. We continue to work with you for 9 months following the completion of the program while we help you find and maintain employment, pursue additional education, or successfully enlist in the military.

YALP: Young Adult Literacy Program is for disconnected youth between the ages of 16-24 who are reading below the 9^th grade and want to attain your GED. You must read between a 4^th-8^thgrade reading levels. The literacy program will eventually make it possible for you to enter a GED program.

Once enrolled you must attend 80% or better of your classes and internship to be eligible for a $50.00 a week stipend. You will also receive vocational counseling and training to prepare for employment opportunities. To ensure continued success as you enter a GED program, staff expects you to stay in touch with you for at least nine months.  

YAIP: Young Adult Internship 16-24 year old disconnected youth who have not been in school for 3 or more months and who are not currently employed can apply to the Internship program.

If accepted, you will receive three weeks of work readiness training at 26 Bay Street and 11 weeks on the job training at an internship site that has agreed to help you learn an entry level job through a partnership with NYCID. At the close of the internship, and for the next nine months, our staff will help you find a job, pursue additional education, or enroll in the military.

For additional information contact:

Deborah Green ACE Program 26 Bay Street, 3rd Floor Staten Island, NY 10301 718-947-4051 dgreen@nycid.org or  Regina Shields 718-947-4063 rshields@nycid.org

ACE Program Participants 'Suit Up and Succeed'

'Suit Up and Succeed' aids unemployed on Staten Island

Published: Thursday, August 16, 2012, 11:08 AM
By Timothy Harrison/Staten Island Advance 

Staten Island Advance/Timothy HarrisonAngela D'Aiuto, executive director of the West Brighton Community Local Development Corporation, welcomes borough business owners and seven unemployed young adults to a Stapleton church for "Suit Up and Succeed."

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- “I don’t believe clothes make the man; I believe the man makes himself. But the clothes give the man the image, so I just like to look presentable to make sure my first impression is the best impression.”

That’s according to Christopher Sesay of Clifton, a 24-year-old aspiring entrepreneur, who was a beneficiary of Wednesday’s “Suit Up and Succeed.” Seven unemployed young adults received gently used or new business attire in the charitable program at a Stapleton church.

The concept was brought to Staten Island by Angela D’Aiuto, executive director of the West Brighton Community Local Development Corporation (LDC), who noted “high unemployment among young people, as well as adults,” in the borough.

Ms. D’Aiuto partnered with local businesses, including Victory State Bank, which held a two-month-long suit drive, and business owners, who donated other clothes, as well as the New York Center for Interpersonal Development’s Achievement in Career Education (ACE) program.

The ACE program provides business training and experience to 30 young adults, aged 16 to 24, in three annual 14-week cycles. The seven young adults who attended Wednesday were all enrolled in ACE.

Amy Lavelle, ACE’s business liaison, explained the program, which couples three weeks of skill-building workshops with an 11-week internship or entry-level job.

“After the 14 weeks are over, as long as [participants] complete the required amount of hours, then they get help from us to find either full-time employment, part-time employment, enroll in school or enlist in the military,” Ms. Lavelle added. 

ASPIRING ENTREPRENEUR 

Sesay, the aspiring entrepreneur, recently finished ACE’s skill-building workshops as part of the 14-week program and will start a paid internship Monday with Ms. D’Aiuto at the West Brighton LDC.

“I see myself giving back to the community. I want to help people in the community and help kids,” Sesay, who has been unemployed for two months, commented.

A graduate of Concord High School, Sesay enrolled in college for a semester but was forced to drop out, a result of financial constraints.

Sesay said he hopes one day to own his own business and his own property, but, he said, “I still need training and I still need guidance, and I hope to find that within the program.”

Sesay and his six classmates, four men and three women in total, had plenty to learn from the three business owners who volunteered as “personal shoppers” Wednesday afternoon.

One, Claire Guadagno, the owner of Handpicked Creations, a vintage resale shop in New Dorp, provided West Brighton LDC with its first major donation of business clothes.

“I’m very into helping women, empowering women,” Ms. Guadagno said. “I’m a single mother, who four years ago was waitressing, and now I’m ready to buy my second business.”

She added, “You have to believe in yourself, and you have to get around positive people.”

Ms. Guadagno was responsible for enlisting the support of Tottenville resident Carmela Schiano, a life coach who owns Live Free Coaching. The two of them will work together to open Total Drama, a new performing arts studio in New Dorp, later this year.

“I work especially with young girls without moms,” Ms. Schiano said.

A third local business owner, Irena Popilevsky of New Dorp, who owns Real Estate SINY, agreed to bring coffee and doughnuts after she was told of the event Wednesday.

All three women gave fashion tips and style advice to the underprivileged young adults. 

NEW SUIT 

Helena Simmons of New Brighton left the United Church of Praise on Sands Street with a new khaki suit that she said she would use at her internship with Neighborhood Housing Services of Staten Island, where she was recently hired.

“I’m actually really excited about the whole thing,” she said. “I’m trying to build up my independence and be an entrepreneur, so I’m trying to open up my own business.”

Ms. Simmons said she would use skills acquired in the ACE program and attempt to learn new skills in advertising and marketing when she starts Monday.

“Depending on how well I do in my internship, there’s a possibility for me to be hired permanently.”

The giveaway was hosted at the United Church of Praise International Ministries Church, where Senior Pastor Thomas Oliver Cletus, another appropriate model for the seven young adults, played host.

Cletus reported this was the first time his church had partnered with the West Brighton LDC to donate clothing, but said, “Our church has clothing that we normally give out to people of low income.

“As I go around the community I find out that people are no longer having a job,” he said. “They try to look for another job. Sometimes they don’t have money to buy nice clothes or shoes or a tie to go for an interview.”

The pastor, a native of Liberia, came to the United States in 2001 by way of Nigeria.

“When I got here to America, after six months, I was able to own a car, which is something I never dreamed in my life that was going to be possible,” he said.

© 2012 SILive.com. All rights reserved.

At the United Church of International Praise, Stapleton,
are from left, Deacon Sando S. Roberts, assisting Aaron Taylor,
a participant in NYCID's Achievement in Career & Education
(ACE) program. Taylor was at the church participating
in "Suit Up and Succeed," an initiative sponsored by
the West Brighton Community LDC (WBCLDC), Victory State Bank
and United Church of International Praise Ministries.
It aims to provide proper business attire, support and resources
to Staten Island's unemployed and young adults.
Roberts was pleased to show Taylor the correct way to knot a tie.

ACE Program's Young Adult Internship Program Graduates Honored

NY1 VIDEO: Several young adults are ready to take on new careers after graduating from the Achievement in Career and Education Program.

Achievement in Career & Education (ACE) Program

Out of School?  Out of Work?  Out of Options?  NYCID Can Help!

NYCID's ACE Program, an out-of-school and disconnected youth program focused on vocational training and education, serves young people aged 16 - 24.  Eligible youth are those who:

• Dropped out of high school and are discharged OR graduated high school
• Are not working AND not in school
• Are motivated and ready to work!

Enrolled students are well trained and prepared for their future.  Higher education and full-time employment are goals highly sought after and reached by program graduates!  Eligible youth receive:

• Enrollment in GED Program (if necessary)
• Career Development Training
• Job Placement Assistance
• Opportunity to attain a Paid Internship
• Guidance Counseling and a Personal Advocate

ALL SERVICES AND TRAININGS ARE FREE!

Interested?  Contact Program Manager Deborah Green at (718) 947-4051 or Personal Advocate Prince Cobbina at (718) 947-4063.

You Can Change Anthony's Life This Christmas

People like you helped La'Shara change her life.
Now you can help change her brother Anthony's.  

"The ACE staff never gave up on me. Not like the school."

Support from people like you helped La'Shara change her life. Will you help others like La'Shara, too?

La'Shara told me she stopped going to school when she turned sixteen. It wasn't the classes, she told us, it was the cliques and gangs, the 'he said, she said,' and the bullying. 

"When I turned fifteen, I was on my own. My mother was doing a Michael Jackson -- doing everything she couldn't do when she became a mom so young. She said I had to look out for myself."

After hanging out on the streets for a few years doing "all the stuff that you know you shouldn't do," La'Shara's friend told her she should stop wasting her life. He told her about  ACE -- one of the programs your donations to NYCID support.

Changing Is Hard Work

"They [staff] told me not to join up unless I was serious," La'Shara said. "I thought I was serious, but I didn't stop doing all those other things, so I wasn't showing up for class. But, they wouldn't give up on me. They are relentless!"

"ACE is so much more than a GED program," she continued. "It's the tough love, the counseling. They push you. They find you like the FBI when you're missing. You can talk to them about anything."

La'Shara's turn-around started two years ago. She passed her GED on her first try. She completed an internship at a day care center, and she discovered she likes helping people.

With Your Help Comes Success

Today, thanks to you and other NYCID supporters, La'Shara is completing the final licensing steps necessary to open her own day care center. She has her own apartment and, after discovering she likes biology, she is considering a career as a doctor.

When I asked La'Shara if I could share her story in this letter, she said, "Tell them it all started here at ACE. Not at my high school. Not with my momma or my daddy. Not any of the other programs I started and dropped. It all started from ACE...

"And thank them [all of you] for me for helping to make me successful."

Help Others Like

La'Shara

La'Shara's younger brother, Anthony, has been on the streets for a while now. He's seen how La'Shara has turned her life around. He'd like to give ACE a try, too. Your donation this Christmas will help give him a chance to change his life.

ACE, Achievement in Career and Education, is one of three alternative education programs NYCID runs for over 600 Staten Island and Brooklyn high school age youth who are failing or have dropped out.

Will you make a year-end gift to help La'Shara's younger brother, Anthony, and others like him follow in La'Shara's footsteps?

Your gift will benefit young people who never thought they'd graduate earn their high school diploma or GED, develop good work habits and skills through internships, and plan for a future as responsible, caring citizens and parents.

The tax year is drawing to a close. Please make your tax-deductible contribution today, before you get caught up in the hectic holiday hubbub and miss the tax benefits.

We join La'Shara in thanking those of you who helped change her life. Please make the same opportunity available for Anthony.

Sincerely,

Dominick J. Brancato
Executive Director

New York Center for Interpersonal Development

P.S. Want to know more about who and how your gift will help? Click on this link

DYCD Commissioner Visits ACE Program

ACE participants with Cmmr. Mullgrav and OSY Director Keenan

NYC Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Jeanne B. Mullgrav  and Megan Keenan, Director of DYCD’s Out-of-School Youth (OSY) program visited the the NY Center's ACE Program on July 23 to meet and observe our students during one of their work-readiness training sessions. Students enjoyed sharing their lively discussion and skill-building session with the visitors.

Young people 17-21 enroll in ACE to earn their GED, master work readiness skills, and plan their future. Staff help them turn their plans into reality.

Thank you, Commissioner Mullgrav and Ms. Keenan, for taking the time out of your busy schedules to witness our students in action as they take tangible steps to learn new skills for their future.

Can you find the Commissioner in this group picture?  She's in the second row, third from the right, with the big smile and black suit.

State seeks to cut $$ for GED testing | - SILive.com

The NY Center's ACE program partners with the College of Staten Island helping out of school youth complete their GED and prepare for the world of work. Budget cuts are taking their toll on this program.


Reprinted from the SI Advance. Photo of Cristine Quinn, from AP

State seeks to cut $$ for GED testing | - SILive.com: "From the Print Edition »
State seeks to cut $$ for GED testing
By Amy Padnani
March 22, 2010, 2:12AM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- State officials have proposed a drastic cut in funding for GED testing, making it difficult for Staten Islanders to gain access to an already beleaguered system.

The proposal comes weeks after City Council Speaker Christine Quinn vowed to help thousands more people across the city realize the benefits of a GED, a certification of high school-level academic skills, through a three-tiered outreach plan.

'It's a pretty devastating cut for not a lot of savings,' said Council Speaker Christine Quinn. 'And it will have a tremendous impact on people's ability to take the tests.'
According to officials, the state Board of Regents proposed a $1.5 million, or 38 percent, reduction in funding, to $2.4 million from $3.9 million, to help close the state's $9 billion budget deficit. The money is typically used to reimburse testing centers for the cost of renting classrooms, hiring proctors and other administrative tasks.

'It's a pretty devastating cut for not a lot of savings,' Ms. Quinn said. 'And it will have a tremendous impact on people's ability to take the tests.'

NO OTHER PLACE

A spokesman from the state Education Department said there was no other place to trim their budget.

'There aren't any other measures that we can take at this time,' said Jonathan Burman, the spokesman. 'Terminating the contracts is painful for all, but we thoroughly vetted all alternatives and this was our only option.'

Last year, 55,796 people across the state took the GED, 2,317 of them from Staten Island, according to Burman. Of those, 48 percent passed.

Though it costs centers $20 to process each exam, there is no charge to people who want to take it. That means people repeatedly taking the test without studying for it, contended Donna Grant, director of the adult learning center at the College of Staten Island, which issues 97 GED exams per year and has a waiting list of 150 applicants. People are only allowed to take the tests three times per year.

Many times, Ms. Grant said, people will take a practice test and find that they're at a third- or fourth-grade reading level. But instead of enrolling in a basic education, they sign up to take the test and fail.

'People are taking the test who are not prepared to take the test,' Ms. Grant said. 'I think the state feels, in the financial straits they are in right now, to continue to pay $20 per test, particularly for people who are going to take the test over and over and over again who are not in a prep program, that it's sort of ridiculous. I see the state's side, I really do. But there are states that charge a fee of test candidates so they wouldn't be so quick to take the test again every time they fail.'

Ms. Grant said rather than cutting funding, there should be a push to get people into prep programs. Without that, testing centers are liable to offer fewer tests, making it harder for people -- dedicated or not -- to find a way to take them.

It's already difficult for borough residents to find a place to take the exam, said Prince Cobbina, a personal advocate with the Achievement in Career and Education program, a GED prep program based at CSI.

'We have to outsource students to Brooklyn and Manhattan,' he said. 'It's going to make it hard for us. It takes so much motivation just for them to come to classes, then we have to send them across the water to take the GED.'"

Successful Internships #3: WineLife

 

This is the third in a series of three posts exploring what makes an internship successful for both the intern and the employer.


Veronique Fitzgerald is the proprietor of WineLife, a new shop, not yet open, that is dedicated to all things wine in the heart of Stapleton. While Ms. Fitzgerald has been steadily working towards a grand opening of her boutique wine shop, there was a lot of work yet to do and she was in need of some assistance. When she heard about the ACE internship program through another of our worksites she gave us a call. After a lengthy interview with her, one of our interns, Yamil Gonzalez, was placed at her shop.

Ms. Fitzgerald explained that the experience has opened her eyes to the fact that there are so many young people in the community that are looking for work and more than that, good experiences. “Having an intern has made me a more responsible employer. I have not always been very good at scheduling but having someone who I am responsible for has had an impact on me. I have to be on time. I have only had myself to respond to previously but now I am being proactive, scheduling and looking ahead.”

“The more he learned the more initiative he had. He would then take ownership of different tasks without my having to follow up which helped tremendously as my business continued to come together. I have been very fortunate to have him as my intern, he thinks on his feet and it has been a good match. We talk throughout the day and I encourage him to further his education and think about what his future will bring. But he has taught me some things as well. He knows Photoshop much more than I do and he has helped me with my on line notices for events at the shop. He’s really a wonderful young person and we are not just coworkers we have become friends.”

The internship program has been a great success for me. It has provided me with an opportunity to test drive the person, to see if they are right for my shop and in Yamil’s case it is. When Yamil is done with his internship I plan to hire him.”

Yamil Gonzalez

Yamil is a 19 year old graduate of Port Richmond High School. He was referred to us by the guidance office at Port Richmond as someone who could use assistance in moving forward with his career.

“When I came to the shop for the interview I was really nervous because I didn’t know what I was getting into. The first day of work was a little scary because I still didn’t know what to expect but I quickly got comfortable and saw that I could take on more. I felt myself growing and maturing as time went on. I learned a lot about business, all the aspects, all the planning to open a shop. It is a lot of hard work.”

I am grateful for the opportunity the internship has provided me. I have learned how to schedule myself in all parts of my life like making sure I get to bed early enough to get up for work. I’ve also learned how to budget my money, pay bills and have money for myself.”

“Ms. Fitzgerald has been a great mentor to me. She has opened my eyes to the other side of food and drink. You don’t think about it much when you sit in a restaurant you just want to eat but being on the other side is a different story. I’ve learned so much about wine, how its made, the different regions and also a lot about how different cheeses go with different wines.”

“She has been very supportive of my choice to go to culinary school and when I go she will adjust my schedule to fit in with school. The most valuable lesson she has taught me is how to be responsible, how to carry myself as a mature adult. It is a great place to work.”

Giving the GED a good name

The Advance featured our ACE program in it's article on GED's today. Jennifer and her staff have lots of success stories so the good press is well deserved.

Giving the GED a good name - Page 2 - SILive.com: "Ms. Saladis said a successful GED program is one that not only teaches the material necessary for the test but encourages students to know they're capable of reaching their goals. The typical student attends the ACE program for three to four months and receives counseling and personalized attention from the professor. ACE also offers counseling for those who are struggling in their personal lives so that they can focus on their coursework.

The staff has accompanied students to pregnancy clinics, offered support to victims of abuse and helped one homeless student find housing.

Ms. Salatis said 78 percent of the students who go through the program either wind up in college or enter the workforce.

'Everyone has a million different reasons for coming here,' she said. 'They're not because they gave up.'"

We agree with Councilwoman Debi Rose, too, when she points out the City's need to invest in keeping kids engaged in school so that they don't drop out. We know she'll work hard to replace the drop-out prevention funding that's been cut.

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• Grant deals an ACE to CSI-allied program - SILive.com (nycid.blogspot.com)

A Tribute to Nwachi Hartley, 1986 - 2008

From Jennifer Saladis, Program Manager of the ACE Program
Nwachi O. Hartley was born on September 12, 1986. A quiet and simple spirit, he was dedicated to helping his family and achieving his goals. He attended New Dorp High School, but decided he would work towards achieving his GED instead.

He came to the ACE program in October of 2006, motivated and ready to earn his GED. He was reserved and a loner, but completed his work and developed a strong relationship with his teacher, Professor Huntley James and the ACE Program Staff.

Although sometimes distracted by his game-boy or his music in class, he always did what he needed, and made tremendous strides toward his personal and educational success.

He was a hard worker and enjoyed working with his hands. He held various jobs in construction and maintenance and was happy getting dirty and using his strength. He was even more pleased to earn extra money to help out his family, especially his mom, Joanne.

One of Nwachi’s passions however, and the thing that kept him focused, was boxing. As a member of the Park Hill Boxing Program, Nwachi (nicknamed Speedy) trained for the Golden Gloves and was highly successful in his matches. He helped the club by recruiting young men from the neighborhood and encouraging them to use their fighting skills in the ring and not on the street.

Nwachi put all of his talents and skills to work and was able to earn his GED. In the midst of his preparation, he was received the “Outstanding Student Award” from the Continuing Education Program at the College of Staten Island. Professor James recognized his ability to multi-task, get things done and motivation to succeed.

He was an inspiration to his classmates and a proven example that setting your sites on the prize and working hard will get you that trophy.

After obtaining his GED, Nwachi continued to work with the ACE Program looking for jobs, applying to training programs and traveling down the path to improve his life. Always with a desire to succeed and respect in his heart, Nwachi’s participation in the ACE Program was as beneficial to him as it was to the program staff. He helped us to be on top of our game, learn new ways to deal with our students, and revel in the fact that all things are possible.

Late in January 2008, at only 20 years old, Nwachi was taken from us. He passed away from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

The shock and sadness of this tragic loss is still being felt within the ACE Program and the Parkhill Community. The impact he has had on his family, the community and this program will be felt for a long time.

He is an inspiration to all our participants and has exemplified the characteristics we expect from all of our participants. New York Center, The ACE Program and the College of Staten Island are all so honored to have been able to work with Nwachi, get to know his wonderful character and play a part in helping him achieving his goals.

Our deepest condolences and sympathies are extended to his family, friends and all who loved him.