OASIS UPDATE NOVEMBER 2016
2016 has been a time of transformation at OASIS. Your generous support has helped OASIS grow in relationship with 115 youth, ages 12 to 24, on a daily basis. From January to August of 2016, OASIS served home-cooked dinners, planned and prepared by our youth, as we opened our doors after school to students Mondays through Thursdays for basketball and a half hour time of creative, personal connection and prayer.
Collaborations continued with agencies devoted to youth developments, such as Fadia, a non-profit outreach connecting to female youth through their middle school and high school years. Youth meet at OASIS every Thursday, when we share a meal together. Three lock-ins for girls were experienced by the Fadia participants at OASIS this year. OASIS continues its relationship with SUMMIT UP, a collaborative of agencies and youth, which held a job and employment event at OASIS in the spring of this year. OASIS youth are a part of the planning team.
OASIS has begun a new relationship with Pastoral Counseling Service (PCS), where 264 students, ages 5 to 19, attended camp at OASIS this past summer. In addition, beginning Fall 2016, PCS clients attend a weekly program at OASIS during the school year and additional times whenever Akron Public Schools are closed for holidays or calamity days. PCS will continue to provide summer camp at OASIS in 2017. This past summer five OASIS youth and two adults attended YouthWorks camp in Chicago. The 31st Street Beach was a highlight for all.
The “Change Agent” internship program helped all six OASIS interns transition into secure housing and permanent employment outside of OASIS at Walmart, local restaurants, and Beachwood Mall. Three additional interns were hired in culinary, marketing, and security positions. Student housing is provided in two rental properties for five students.
Last year the youth that we supported in The Way program definitely gained strength. Thirteen youth graduated high school in June. Fourteen students are attending college in 2016 (Akron, Kent, Youngstown, and Stark State) and four students are enrolled in the military. In April of 2016, OASIS modified its mission statement to: “Provide an incubating environment for youth to gain strength to take steps forward.” Between April and August this year, we began measuring relational and life steps. From April through August 115 youth took 1160 steps!
However, during this same time and including the month of August, OASIS encountered 24 incidents of violence or threats of violence in our building. In October we hired a security guard and reduced our activities to smaller groups of youth who have gained our trust. Activities continue at Sunday morning worship, called Simply Worship and at Friday special events
We have re-named “The Way” to “A Way,” as we began to understand the deeper needs of the Oasis students. We continue to connect with youth we can trust, who are committed to finding strength to take steps forward. We continue to provide excellent outcomes as we measure relational and life steps taken forward. The movement of OASIS has shifted to ensure safety and to re-group back to the activities that we know absolutely help urban youth to gain strength. In addition, OASIS has begun a formalized process to include older youth in our volunteer leader roles.
