|
Schools, Programs & Visit Reports-
Dec, 1993 (#25) |
NORTHSTAR CENTER
Bend, Oregon
Dennis Crowell, Director
Jane Stewart, Admissions
503-385-8657
Lon Visit: September 8, 1993
Walking into Northstar Center's
roomy, old style tudor house when the students are all there
is much like entering a busy beehive. The productive energy
level is high, students are busy taking care of their responsibilities,
and staff are constantly being asked for advice, comments,
and/or direction. That's not a good time to carry on a discussion
with a staff member, but it is a good time to get a feel of
the energy.
The house was selected partly
because of its roominess, and partly because it is close to
both downtown and the local community college. That makes
it convenient for both attending classes and getting to the
jobs, internships and/or community service that each student
is responsible for.
Northstar Center is designed
to provide a transition for young people of both sexes ages
17-24 who need more structure and direction than is available
in a community or at college. The goal was to create a functional
family environment, run on common sense, where young people
could have enough structure to accomplish, and enough freedom
to learn how to function independently - in short a transition
period for those not quite ready to go out on their own.
The students have a lot of freedom
within the structure of responsibilities and expectations.
The freedom is to allow them the room to test their independence
as adults, mistakes and all, while the responsibilities and
expectations are such that the staff have an early warning
system so they can intervene with a student long before things
fall totally apart.
The structure can be described
in four parts. The first is a strong positive peer pressure.
The students watch out for and work with each other in the
context they all know that little lapses can quickly become
serious problems that would threaten the peer's future.
Second, all students have house
duties which rotate, including a student house manager and
assistant manager. This is to teach responsibility and the
basic mundane living skills necessary for independent living.
Third, all students have school
responsibilities. For most this is attending the local community
college, but other options are available when they make sense
for a particular student. Support, advice and direction is
provided for each to become a successful student, which includes
study time and skills, attending classes regularly, etc.
Fourth is work responsibilities.
The purpose is to learn the work ethic and all that goes into
being able to successfully hold down a job. The staff have
a wide range of contacts throughout the community so the students
can start by doing community service type work. Next for most
students would be to participate in a career type internship,
and gradually work into entry level jobs. Many people in the
community like to see a Northstar student come their way because
they know the staff will be providing effective support to
make sure the student is successful. The students are not
given a free ride, they must apply for each job and earn the
opportunity just like any other young person looking for work.
Every student that comes to Northstar
starts with a one year agreement, and the stay could be longer.
They first move into the main house, the old roomy tudor style
house. The stay here averages about six months and consists
of learning how to handle their responsibilities, some counseling
on their personal issues, personal skills such as budgeting
and shopping for value, and focusing on the direction they
want to go for the rest of their life. When they are ready
to live a little more independently, the student moves into
a transition apartment for 4-6 weeks or their own apartment.
Having their own apartment is basically practicing living
on their own while still staying in contact with the main
house and being overseen by staff.
An ideal student is one who has
been floundering. He/she may or may not have graduated from
high school. The program works with students of average or
above intelligence with one or more of the following: codependency,
substance abuse issues in recovery, depression, learning disabilities,
abandonment issues, abuse issues and low self-esteem. The
program screens out students with a history of excessive violence,
or serious psychiatric problems. Several of their current
students have tried college and bombed out because they were
not able to handle the independence. The parents of the students
at Northstar Center very well might have been those who had
been tearing their hair out because their child just would
not get with it, or were unable to keep play and responsibility
in balance. Northstar Center provides the little extra structure
and support those children need to get through the transition.
Copyright
© 1993, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper
publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
|
