East Cleveland Neighborhood Center

Jasmine ChandlerCourtney Jones

Ana JuarezKara Porter

Monique Wingard

ECNC: Organizational Profile●Program services have focused on youth and families

●Services have been offered on-site and at satellite locations

●Currently not running at full capacity but planning to re-open in East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights

ECNC: Organizational Profile●ECNC started as youth programs at St. Paul Church in

the early 1980s

●Organization was incorporated in 1986

●Mission: improve the quality of life of its consumers by offering prevention and intervention services.

Population By Race

Poverty Rate/Income Level

Household

Juvenile Delinquency

Education

State Test Results for East Cleveland City Schools

State Test Results for Cleveland Heights City Schools

Community ProfilesCensus Data 2000

Indicators (2000 data) East Cleveland Cleveland HeightsTotal Population 27,217 54,052

Percent of population younger 18 years of age

29.7% 28.6%

Median Household Income $26,661 $60,650

Unemployment Rate 15% 3.7%

Percent of families with children below the poverty level

35.1% 9.1%

Percent of female headed with children under 18 years of age

63.6% 28.%

Percent of population age 25+ with at least a high school diploma

68.9% 91.6%

Births to teenage mothers per 1,000 females aged 15-19

82.9 35.3

Data from NEO CANDO

County Schools DesignationsSchool Ratings 2007-2008

Source: Ohio Department of Education

Academic Indicators2007-2008

Academic Indicators

East ClevelandContinual Improvement

Cleveland HeightsContinual ImprovementGraduation Rate 96.0% 56.2%

Attendance Rate 88.7% 91.9%

Graduation with Honors

18.1% 0%

Taking SAT 57.5% 24.5%

Mean SAT 1010 834

East Cleveland & Cleveland Heights Youth 6-18 in Female Headed Households

Sources: Ohio Department of Education; 211 directory; Census 2000

Juvenile Delinquency Offenses in 2007Rate per 1,000 youth

Type of Offenses-2007per 1,000 youth

Type of Offenses East Cleveland Cleveland HeightsViolent Offenses 25.45 28.24

Homicides 0 0.19

Assaults 11.96 15.15

Robberies 3.68 3.93

Sexual assaults 0.92 1.31

Property Offense 31.58 28.61

Burglaries 2.45 4.86

Vandalism 3.68 3.18

Illicit drug violations 9.81 4.86

Public Offenses 17.78 26.74

Disorderly Conduct 3.99 13.84

Data from NEO CANDO

Juvenile Delinquency OffensesTrends from 2000-2007Rate per 1,000 youth

Focus GroupECNC Board Members

History●Located in Old St. Filomina’s School

oInvested $250,000 in the building

●Had 17 programs in 2000-2001

●Formed Partnerships with 22 organizations in the Greater Cleveland Area

●Active board participation with representation from businesses, professionals, and residents

●Strong participation from government officials

Current Status●Operating 2 programs

●Board is a 1/3 of Capacity

●Limited resources and partnerships

●No working relationship with the East Cleveland Government

Issues to be addressed●Drug problem

o“East Cleveland was not built for drugs”oNo accessible drug assessment in the community

●Hopelessness in youth

●Lack of “safe space” for children after school

Vision●Focus on East Cleveland

●Create more after school programs

●Develop a recreation center

●Increased partnerships

●Board functioning at capacity

Vision for Government Relationship

●Strengthen ties with local officials

●Would like to see Mayor Brewer being more responsive to ECNC

●Programmatic funding through programs such as the Community Development Block Grant

Potential Partners for East Cleveland Neighborhood Center

●The Cleveland Clinic - Huron Hospital

●Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U)

●Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope (NOAH)

●General Electric

KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS

“This isn’t the East Cleveland I know. This isn’t the community where I raised my children and

grandchildren; not the community where I worked so hard…I AM AFRAID TO GO THERE NOW ”

-Mrs. Edith Head, Former East Cleveland City Council Person

East Cleveland Youth Programs: an historical perspective

●Arts Programs

●Movies in the Street

●Block Parties

●Fireworks at Forrest Hills Park

●All activities were family oriented

●Government and local merchants funded the events

What Changed●Lack of interest and involvement

oBlock clubs are no longer activeoYoung people

●Lack of communication between City Officials and residents

●People do not encourage youth to participate in community strengthening activities

Suggestions to Rebuild East Cleveland

●Focus government money on youth programming

●Involvement of youth in civic activitiesoLeadership Development

●Stronger relationships between schools and parents

“We have to unite our interests and strengths or we can sit down and watch things fall through”

“The Three Anchors of the Community”●East Cleveland Public Library

●Huron Hospital

●McGregor Home

Literacy:

“Our primary concern here at the East Cleveland Public Library is literacy. We provide opportunities for youth to strengthen their literacy, computer literacy,

and general knowledge of the latest technology.”

Other Youth Problems in East Cleveland

Interview: Gregory L. ReeseDirector, East Cleveland Public Library

“Forrest Hill Park has the potential to be a great outlet for youth. We

just need more programming there…More STRUCTURED programming.”

●Gregory L. ReeseDirector, East Cleveland Public Library

Suggestions for Improving Youth Programming in East Cleveland:

●More Summer Programs

●More Care and Attention from the City to Provide Opportunities

●More Time and Effort Towards Increasing Parks and Recreation – Particularly in Forrest Hill Park.

“When trying to research the needs of youth in this community, it’s important to not just look at the

surface, but to also try and understand the root of their

problems.”

●Almad Allen, Teen Specialist, East Cleveland Public Library

Interview: Almad Allen Teen Specialist, East Cleveland Public Library

Other Youth Problems in East Cleveland:

●Poverty

●Lack of Two-Parent Homes

●Absent Parents

●Neglect

●Abuse

●Negative Peer Pressure

Suggestions for Improving Youth Programming in East Cleveland:

●More Recreational Opportunities

●More Job Training and Job Opportunities for Youth

Interviews: East Cleveland Youth

What kind of programs/opportunities would you like to see in your community?

●Ashley, 8th Grade, Heritage Middle SchooloMovie Theatre

●Moses, 15, Marcus Garvey SchooloBasketball League

●Shavasia, 12, Heritage Middle School oTeen Center

●Terrain, 16, Cleveland School of the ArtsoCenter for the Arts

Community Survey ●Taken by 6 service providers in East Cleveland

●Also given to 6 community residents in a parents group at Murtis Taylor Social Services

●Key informant interviews were also completed to gather qualitative information from service providers

Survey Results: Quantitative Data●Prevalence of Issues in Community

oJuvenile crime: 4.1oJuvenile violence/gangs: 4.2oTeen pregnancy: 3.5oPoor graduation rates: 4.3oHigh school truancy rates: 4.2

Survey Results: Quantitative Data●Presence of Programs in the Community

oExtracurricular School Activities: 2.9oTutoring Programs: 2.8oMentoring: 2.2oAfter-school in the Community: 2.6oLeadership Development: 2.5oCareer Awareness/Skill Development: 2.4oCollege Readiness: 2.5oJuvenile Diversion: 2.2oTeen Pregnancy Prevention: 2.4oSchool Drop-out Prevention: 2.2oChurch Youth Activities: 3.2oCulture and Arts: 2.2

Survey Results: Quantitative Data●Important factors that affect youth program

utilizationoInterest in program: 4.2oConvenience: 3.8oAvailable transportation: 4.1oQuality of program: 4.3oSite/location: 3.8oTiming: 3.6oPeer influence: 4.2oLearning experience: 3.3oFree/Affordable: 3.8

Survey Results: Quantitative Trends

●75% of individuals surveyed stated that East Cleveland has, in comparison to other neighborhoods or inner-ring suburbs of Cleveland, East Cleveland has “significantly less” programs, services or resources

Survey Results: Quantitative Data●Satisfaction with existing programs by age

oAges 0-5: 2.1oAges 5-9: 2.4oAges 10-13: 2oAges 14-18: 1.9

Survey Results: Quantitative Trends

●There were not significant differences for service providers in East Cleveland versus Cleveland Heights

●Community perceives a high need for programs

●Community perceives a low availability of programs

Survey Results: Qualitative Trends●Individuals named the following assets the community

oEast Cleveland Public LibraryoMLK Civic CenteroHuron HospitaloMcGregor HomesoMurtis Taylor Behavioral Health

Survey Results: Qualitative Trends●Participants identified the following as needs in the

community:oFun programsoSafetyoPrograms that teach skills to youthoTechnology

Interview: Staff member at Boys and Girls Club in Cleveland

Heights●700 youth members total

●65 served per day average

●Programs in:oCharacter and leadershipoEducation and career developmentoHealth and Life SkillsoArtsoSports, fitness and recreation

Interview: Youth Opportunities Unlimited

●Serves 200-400 students per year

●70% of students return for additional services

●Programs:oJobs for Ohio’s GraduatesoJuvenile Mentoring (ATOD prevention)oHealth Horizons (health career focus)

Implications for Future Research