Troubled Teens Resources

The most common form of teen crisis intervention is education. Pure and simple, the bottom line is that teenagers need hope and the hope has to be reality based. Reality dictates that the educated teen has far better prospects than his drop out peers. When a teen starts failing in school, he sometimes just simply gives up, setting the stage for a whole host of other possible problems.

Programs for troubled teens that help these teens obtain their high school diplomas are extremely valuable. One such program is JAG or Jobs for America’s Graduates.

“The national nonprofit school-to-career program has found its way into 700 high schools, middle schools, alternative schools and community colleges in the U.S. and the U.K.”.

The program is slated to help those at-risk of falling through the cracks of passing periods, study halls and summer breaks of high school.

The students… are teamed up with a JAG specialist who teaches a class on work force skills. That specialist also serves as a mentor and watchdog for the students.

The goal is to get these pupils to graduate or to earn their General Educational Development certificate, and then find their place in the work force or higher education.
[…]
“We put them in goals, and if they meet their goal they get $50,” Brewer said. “That’s one of techniques I use at the beginning. After the first semester, I had so many kids that were wanting to be in (the class) I had to turn some down because they don’t qualify.”

Students can complete three goals a year for pay. And students can earn $200 if they graduate or earn a GED.”

(source)