A WEB-BASED COMMUNITY FOR YOUTH IN TRANSITION

ECheckin.com代表了机构通过万维网向高危青少年提供长期善后服务的独特方式。到目前为止，中介机构还无法接触到年轻人客户，在他们向独立生活过渡的过程中，他们迫切需要服务来支持他们。拟议的网站将为这些青少年提供与大多数离开家的主流青少年类似的优势，例如24小时辅导、与熟悉的支持人员交流，以及在有需要时有安全和值得信赖的地方可去。与此同时，该网站将允许机构通过与校友保持在线联系来评估项目结果。ECheckin.com将为从寄养、离家和无家可归服务以及就业服务队过渡的年轻人提供服务。每个服务部门都将有自己的网络社区，并为年轻人、导师和中介专业人员提供一个网站。所有用户都将有一个个性化的界面到他们各自的社区，由一系列最先进的网络功能支持。在第一阶段，我们将为就业服务队开发和测试一个青年网站原型。在第二阶段，我们将全面开发三个网络社区的所有组件，并评估网站对300名青年的社会支持、就业态度和用户满意度的影响。拟议的商业应用：为高危青年提供服务的机构因无法了解长期项目结果而不断受挫。每年，数十万青年在离开护理中心时没有建立机制，以便在这些青年生命中最关键的时刻保持沟通。ECheckin.com不仅将为经纪公司提供急需的资源，还将以合理的订阅费向经纪公司提供他们应得的售后服务。

eCheckin.com represents a unique approach for agencies to provide at-risk youth with long-term aftercare services through the World Wide Web. To date, agencies have not been able to reach youth clientele with critically needed services to suppbrt them as they transition toward independent living. The proposed site will offer these youths similar advantages available to most mainstream youths leaving home, such as 24-hour mentoririg, communication with familiar support people, and a secure and trusted place to go to when in need. At the same time, the site will allow agencies to evaluate program outcomes by sustaining an online connection with their alumni. eCheckin.com will serve youth transitioning from foster care, runaway and homeless services, and the Job Corps. Each service sector will have its own Web community with a site for youths, mentors, and agency professionals. All users will have a personalized interface to their respective community, supported by an array of state-of-the art Web features. In Phase I, we will develop and test a prototype youth site for Job Corps. In Phase II, we will fully develop all components for the three Web communities and evaluate the impact of the site on social support, employment attitudes, and user satisfaction with 300 youths. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Agencies serving at-risk youths are continually frustrated by their inability to understand longer- term program outcomes. Each year, hundreds of thousands of youth leave care without a mechanism in place to sustain communication during the most critical time of these youths' lives. eCheckin.com will not only provide agencies with a much needed resource, but will also give their youth clientele the aftercare services they deserve, at a reasonable subscription cost to the agency.