A WEB-BASED COMMUNITY FOR YOUTH IN TRANSITION

eCheckin.com为机构提供了一种独特的方式，通过万维网为有风险的青少年提供长期的善后服务。到目前为止，机构还无法接触到青少年客户，为他们提供急需的服务，以支持他们向独立生活过渡。拟议中的网站将为这些年轻人提供与大多数主流年轻人一样的优势，比如24小时指导，与熟悉的支持人员交流，以及在需要时可以去一个安全可靠的地方。与此同时，该网站将允许各机构通过与校友保持在线联系来评估项目成果。eCheckin.com将为从寄养、离家出走和无家可归者服务机构以及就业服务团过渡的青少年提供服务。每个服务部门都将有自己的网络社区，为年轻人、导师和代理专业人员提供网站。所有用户都将拥有一个个性化的界面，可以访问他们各自的社区，并由一系列最先进的Web特性提供支持。在第一阶段，我们将为就业服务团开发和测试一个青年网站的原型。在第二期，我们将全面开发三个网络社区的所有组件，并与300名青少年一起评估网站对社会支持、就业态度和用户满意度的影响。建议的商业应用：服务于风险青年的机构不断地因为无法理解长期项目的结果而感到沮丧。每年，成千上万的年轻人离开护理，却没有适当的机制来维持他们生命中最关键的时刻的沟通。eCheckin.com不仅为机构提供急需的资源，还将以合理的订阅费用为他们的青年客户提供他们应得的善后服务。

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.