Children of Promise, NYC
Children of incarcerated parents rarely receive the support they need as they do time with their parents. CPNYC's model incorporates a holistic approach of addressing the needs of families impacted by parental incarceration and attacking the underlying root causes of the problem. Offering preventive services that are specific to the needs of the children and their families and allowing them to receive services close to home will create real and lasting social change to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration.
CPNYC provides an outlet where they can feel normal, a venue where they can share their feelings, opinions and personal experiences. Their caregivers need assistance in finding a balance between their concerns for their children and coping themselves with the situation. This initiative creates a safe environment where children and caregivers can be honest and open without fear of judgment or shame. CPNYC moves beyond the spotty bandage approach of service implementation and brings about fundamental change by providing systematic, coordinated services which begins with an assessment of the family?s needs and extends services to the caregiver and family members.
Our mentoring program, Project DREAM (Directing Realities through Exposure, Access and Mentoring), is a career based mentoring program that identifies professions or industries of interest to 4th-12th grade students and connects each, one-to-one, with a volunteer mentor who can provide insight and direction into pursuing the chosen career path.
Children of Promise, NYC (CPNYC) is a Brooklyn based organization committed to embracing and empowering children of incarcerated parents to break the cycle of intergenerational involvement in the criminal system. CPNYC's mission is to provide children of prisoners with the guidance, support and the opportunities necessary to effectively develop leadership skills, form positive social relationships and enhance academic performance. Implementing the principles and best practices of youth development, this innovative after-school program infuses a mental health model.
Mental health based intervention allows CPNYC to acknowledge the traumas children of prisoners experience and to address the problems and challenges at the root, allowing young people to create new behaviors, new habits and new reactions. It also allows staff to understand the sources of negative and inappropriate conduct and model appropriate behaviors and reactions.
