Truancy Workshops
The goal of the King County community based truancy diversion workshop is to motivate students to reengage with school. Unleash the Brilliance brings a dynamic component to the truancy workshops by connecting with truant students with music, dance and testimonials from other youth.
In their testimonials and in peer to peer groups, youth leaders help students identify risk factors that may hinder them in reaching their goals. The connection that is made during the peer to peer piece gives students a supportive space to consider the consequences of truancy and dropping out and to identify their own barriers in missing school. This makes them more receptive and comfortable to working with school district representatives to formulate a plan for re engagement. While we have a peer to peer component, we also have an adult sponsor who helps mediate the gap in understanding that so often occurs between parents and their teens. According to the King County prosecuting attorney's office, during the 2014-2015 school year these workshops produced a 75% school re-engagement rate. |