Next
Step
Project
Post-Secondary
Education Access
for Homeless Youth
Group curriculum designed to be implemented in 8 weekly sessions directs youth through a series of activities that will help increase college awareness, access, and success.
Coordinated tutoring services to target academic success and provide intensive supports to youth who are academically underperforming.
Group Instruction
Individualized educational assistance meetings provide an opportunity for school counselors or caseworkers to assist youth in overcoming barriers to education, and to set and follow-up on academic goals.
Individual Meetings
Tutoring
Next Step Project was developed by a team of researchers at Utah State University and is based on previous pilot work at a homeless youth drop-in center. Although the intervention was originally developed for homeless youth, curriculum is appropriate for a broader audience of at-risk youth. Curriculum is provided on this website either as an entire unit or in separate sessions. Next Step Project is funded by the Utah System of Higher Education.
Welcome
Intervention Components
The mission of our intervention is to increase access to post-secondary education for homeless youth. This is operationally defined in our intervention by the following goals:
1. Increase knowledge about post-secondary educational opportunities and options;
2. Increase knowledge about financial assistance (loans and scholarships) available for
post-secondary education;
3. For those with a high school diploma or GED, completion of financial aid forms and
applications to post-secondary education institutions;
4. For those without a high school diploma or GED, progress toward completion of high school
diploma or GED;
5. Increase self-efficacy of all participants.
Our Mission
Includes the following sessions:
1. Importance of Post-Secondary Education: Participants obtain information on how education increases earning potential and career options.
2. Personal Strength and Interest Exploration: Participants use established college and career exploration assessments to identify education and career paths of interest.
3. Post-Secondary Exploration: Participants learn more about careers that fit with their strengths and interests and college programs that lead to these careers.
College Awareness
College Success
Includes the following sessions:​
4. Financial Aid: Participants learn options for funding college, including financial aid, scholarships, and loans, and how to access these options.
5. Post-Secondary Education Application Process: Participants become familiar with the application process and entrance requirements for colleges of interest.
6. Stress Management and Persistence: Participants learn strategies for managing
stress and increasing the ability to persist through academic obstacles.
7. Strategies for Academic Success: Participants learn skills that facilitate academic success, e.g., test taking, studying, time management.
8. Interpersonal Skills: Participants develop/acquire communication skills and
knowledge of how to present oneself professionally.
