Garden State Times

Since the pandemic took hold of the nation and the world in 2020, school districts everywhere have been negatively impacted by skyrocketing truancy. This is especially true in urban landscapes, and Camden City was not immune to these national trends. Based on that, the Camden County Board of Commissioners will spearhead a multi-pronged partnership to create alternatives for Camden students who are no longer engaged in the traditional school system.

This new program is rooted in identifying at-risk youth and then offering them an alternative by providing individuals a seat in the Hopeworks program. This career center will pay them to attend, offer transportation to their new workspace, and work with young adults through other methods to stabilize them and find gainful employment. Hopeworks has a long track record of success with a 93% retention rate for their 12-month program.

Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. talked about the need for new alternatives for truancy and tapping into a renowned program grounded in youth employment.

“Time and again we are seeing members of our youth population that have given up on school and are out in streets with negative results in our neighborhoods,” Cappelli said. “That said, we have seen the success that Hopeworks has had in Camden and the innovative way they facilitated a second-to-none workforce training program. Based on their results we thought they were the perfect fit to facilitate this program.”

The overall scope of the plan is being funded by the Camden County Youth Services Commission, the Rowan-Rutgers Joint Board of Governors, the Camden Community Partnership, and the Camden City School District. These four organizations have invested $250,000 to create 50 specialized spots in the Hopeworks program. They have also joined forces with the Camden County Police Department to make a positive impact on social determinants of health for young adults facing adverse effects from being out of school and unemployed.

“This exemplifies what Camden is all about: working in partnership to find a solution, and coming together to help support our youth,” said Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen. “This is a sound investment in our young people and I commend all of our partners for creating this alternative solution. Hopeworks has a proven track record; they deliver exceptional training, and we are grateful to Hopeworks for empowering our youth for more than two decades.”

The largest driver of violent crime in Camden has been focused on individuals aged 16 to 19 years old—those identified as most at risk by local authorities.

“CCP is proud to participate in this critical initiative as it represents an investment in Camden’s most precious asset – our youth,” said Dana Redd, president and CEO of the Camden Community Partnership. “Despite the adverse effects of the pandemic on our communities, our commitment remains unwavering towards offering teenagers constructive pathways towards brighter futures.”

According to data from 2023 provided by CCPD’s Record Management System, youths aged 16 made up significant portions of delinquent activities leading to repeat arrests involving firearms or narcotics distribution.

Camden County Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez emphasized how crucial such programs are:

“Right now, a lot of violent crime is being driven by teenagers who are mostly outside of the school system,” Rodriguez said. “During the pandemic we lost thousands of kids to street life which created public safety challenges."

Katrina T. McCombs, superintendent of CCS District highlighted how Hopeworks helps students achieve success outside traditional settings:

“Our partnership with Hopeworks equips students with essential high-tech skills alongside paid work experience," stated Superintendent Katrina T McCombs." By converting educational opportunities into tangible successes enhances both individual lives & community welfare."

Recruitment efforts will primarily involve collaboration between Village Program's community engagement team within CCPD along referrals via CCS District plus indirect partnerships involving other nonprofits actively engaging youths across citywide dialogues.

Hopeworks CEO Dan Rhoton expressed gratitude towards supporting partners:

“We are immensely grateful," Rhoton said." Their investment signifies commitment beyond finances—it ensures continued empowerment creating opportunities transforming lives here."

Janiyah Gonzalez currently enrolled shared her perspective:

“This support fuels potential igniting transformative changes among us,” Gonzalez noted." We're thankful investing dreams believing brighter futures achievable."

About Hopeworks

Hopeworks uses technology healing entrepreneurship transforming lives via unique mix training trauma-informed care real-world experiences yielding extraordinary outcomes leading high-wage job placements sustained over long terms impacting families positively while contributing significantly growing tech industry needs annually generating substantial economic benefits regionally globally alike.

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