Communities In Schools Of Philadelphia Inc

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2020, COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF PHILADELPHIA BEGAN DOING BUSINESS AS "LAUNCH OF PHILADELPHIA". THE LEGAL ENTITY, COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF PHILADELPHIA, INC. CONTINUES IN EXISTENCE AS THE LEGAL NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE NAME CHANGE IS THE RESULT OF LAUNCH'S EXIT FROM THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS, INC., WHICH BECAME EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31, 2019. MISSION: LAUNCH'S MISSION IS TO SURROUND STUDENTS WITH A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT, EMPOWERING THEM TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND ACHIEVE IN LIFE. LAUNCH FULFILLS ITS MISSION BY ENTERING INTO SERVICE CONTRACTS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

DESCIRPTION OF THE THREE LARGEST MAJOR PROGRAM SERVICES IS AS FOLLOWS:ELECT (EDUCATION LEADING TO EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER TRAINING). ELECT ASSISTS PREGNANT OR PARENTING STUDENTS IN THE COMPLETION OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR EQUIVALENCY. ELECT STUDENTS RECEIVE TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO ENABLE THEM TO MAKE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS INTO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND PARENTHOOD. LAUNCH'S SITE COORDINATORS PROVIDE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT; PARENTING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT TRAINING; HEALTH AND NUTRITION SEMINARS; ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL SERVICES SUPPORT; AND LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT. A COMPONENT OF ELECT IS A FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE DEDICATED TO YOUNG MEN WHO ARE PARENTING. URBAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA, LAUNCH DEVELOPED A PROGRAM TO ADDRESS DIGITAL INCLUSION ISSUES WITHIN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. THE URBAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT PROVIDES YOUTH WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND EDUCATION, PROMOTING OWNERSHIP OF KNOWLEDGE, PROBLEM SOLVING AND SELF-RELIANCE. THE URBAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT INCLUDES THE DIGITAL SERVICE FELLOWS AND COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS DESCRIBED BELOW.DIGITAL SERVICE FELLOWS ("DSF"). DSF IS A FULL-TIME AMERICORPS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PREAPPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN BOTH SERVING THEIR COMMUNITIES AND IN PURSUING THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FIELD. DSF PARTICIPANTS LEARN UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL AND ACTIVELY APPLY THE SKILLS LEARNED BY INSTALLING NEW EQUIPMENT OR REPAIRING EXISTING EQUIPMENT IN SCHOOLS AND BY LEADING SCHOOL-BASED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS.COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS ("CSS"). LAUNCH AND THE SDOP HAVE ALSO PARTNERED TO CREATE THE CSS PROGRAM. CSS PROVIDES TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO 56 SCHOOLS AND 4 CENTRAL OFFICES OF THE SDOP. THIS PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS THE DSF INITIATIVE AND ALLOWS RECENT GRADUATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE A ONE-YEARAPPRENTICESHIP WITH MASTER TECHNICIANS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA