9/29/2008>>

Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises is holding an Extravaganza on Sunday, October 5th. For more information, you can download the flier here, or check out this youth-produced commercial.

9/17/2008>>

Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises was named "Best Idea for Youth Programming" in the Baltimore City Paper's annual "Best Of" issue. Peer-to-Peer participant Chris Goodman was deemed "Best Youth Advocate" in the same issue. Read more here.

9/10/2008>>

Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises has garnered several new endorsements. Click here to find out more.

   

Contact Information for P2PYE:

Odette Ramos: 443.801.8137 oramos@strategicmgmt.net

Chris Goodman: 443.957.5346 chris_byc@yahoo.com

 

“Peers teaching other Peers is more effective.  We can relate better, and the kids we serve can talk with us without being intimidated.  They listen to us.” (quote from Stephen Scott, Youth Dreamer)

“With Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises, young people become part of the knowledge based economy NOW. In the process, they will have perhaps the greatest shot at encouraging young students on the fence to stay in school. There is no better gift we can give the next generation than the feeling, early in their own lives, of making a difference to someone else. This will benefit all of us in terms of bottom line dollars, improving our workforce, and helping encourage business to come to Baltimore." (Paul Wolman, President & CEO, P.W. Feats)

    

 

  

WHAT ARE PEER-TO-PEER YOUTH ENTERPRISES?

   

 

  

Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises is a Baltimore-based coalition that is fighting for funding and other forms of support for peer-to-peer youth programs. peer-to-peer Youth Enterprises provide JOBS for young people in the knowledge-based economy. In Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises, young people are paid to share knowledge and skills with other peers. $3 million dollars in the Fund will supply 1,000 jobs for young people who will serve/teach/train at least 2000-6000 other young people. This means peers teaching/training peers and/or using their knowledge to help peers reach their goals.

Paid peers: ages 10-13 (stipends) and 14-24 (stipends or formal wages) to serve other young people – paid $10-$15/hr.

Peers served: anyone under 24 years old.

      

Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises can be community based, and school based.  Peers can be paid to teach/share skills regarding academics, art, and a variety of other skills.

      

Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises are youth-led.  Adults are there to teach specific skills, and guide the work – but the young people participating in these enterprises lead each group. Paid peers learn time management, responsibility, problem solving, while they gain expertise about the knowledge they impart to other youth. Paid peers transfer knowledge or teach their technical or academic skill, and are also role models and mentors to other youth.

What groups are a part of peer-to-peer Youth Enterprises?

     

WE KNOW THIS WORKS

     

Over 20 after school and out-of-school groups have Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprise components with very positive outcomes. Paid peers have high graduation rates, high college enrollment, greater involvement in their own communities, increased job skills and better job readiness; and ultimately youth leadership remains in Baltimore. Peers serviced increase test scores, attendance rates, and remain in the programs to be paid peers later.

Here are some great examples:
Baltimore Urban Debate League: 100 percent of high school students in the program graduate from high school. More than 75 percent of all the students involved stay in the program from middle school through high school.
Changz program of the Chesapeake Center for Youth Development: paid peers and students increase attendance in school by 20 percent over last year.
Algebra Project: students improve in math enough to increase two grade levels. 100 percent graduate from high school, and many of them stay in Baltimore for college.
Stadium School Youth Dreamers: tutor students to increase their grades up to two grade levels. Tutor have high attendance rates, and move on to become successful in high school.
Wide Angle Youth Media: participants report increased attendance, and better grades.

Students earn an average of $3,000 per full year, which enables them to help take care of their families, contribute to the economy, and enable them to continue this important work.

     

WHO ELSE IS DOING PEER-TO-PEER?

     

There are several cities across the US that have a program or two that have a peer to peer component. This could include the cities that have part of national affiliations, such as the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues, Street Solders, and the Algebra Project. Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, all have at least one of these groups.

In addition, several school systems have implemented Peer Mentoring, where peers mentor other peers. The difference between Peer Mentoring and the Peer to Peer model is that in Baltimore, we pay our peers to learn a skill and then teach it to another peer. That does not always happen in other places.

In Ohio, the Ohio Youth Agenda has two areas of advocacy around establishing peer to peer connections, including making sure there is youth leadership in the recreation centers, and older students working with younger students. This has been funded in 35 schools to the tune of $20 million from the state.

However, no city has a comprehensive coalition of Peer to Peer groups like Baltimore does, nor does any city consider this work part of the knowledge based economy like we do.

     

WHY PAY YOUTH?

     

Paying peers is important because:

  • Otherwise young people have to find low skilled jobs with no future in the knowledge based economy.

  • The knowledge that young people have is valuable, just like yours, and requires compensation.

  • Receiving a steady income eliminates economic pressure towards crime and drug dealing,

  • Young people learn financial literacy,

  • Part time employment in knowledge based fields improves graduation rates,

  • Young people contribute to the economy, take care of their families, and invest in Baltimore.

What is the return on investing in our youth?

 

INVESTMENT IN YOUTH CREATES PRODUCTIVE ADULTS

     

According to Robert Balfanz, a researcher for the Center for the Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University, “failure to graduate from high school has become a ticket to the underclass.”

Between lower tax contributions and higher social program use, each high school dropout can be expected to cost at least $200,000 more in public funding over the course of his or her life than if he or she had earned a high school degree.  

According to the KidsCount Data book in 2007, 32.6% of middle school students and 42.6% high school students are absent more than 20 days within the school year and there is a direct correlation between attendance rates and drop-out rates.