country programs
Ensure that you are meeting the basic requirements to be recognized as a YCWA Site. Recognition as an official site gives you the opportunity to utilize the technical support, staff, and full compliment of resources available from YCWA. Every YCWA site must meet the following standards.
Standard #1: Each Site will have Dedicated Advisors, including support from school administration, teachers and staff.
The advisor may be a teacher, police officer, community leader, or any other responsible adult, over the age of 21, which will assist the Core Group with the operations of the site.
Standard #2: The site must have youth ownership and a strong core group of at least 6 members.
The core group shall operate in such a manner as to encourage participation by all members of the community/school that the site serves. Everyone should have a sense of ownership.
Standard #3: The site must utilize initial technical assistance from YCW and have bi-monthly follow-up.
This will ensure that the site is following standard YCW protocol.
Standard #4: The site must submit a Census Survey and Site Agreement
This will assure proper accounting for existing and active sites and give a general overview for each site's population. The purpose of the Site Agreement is to ensure that site administration and advisors acknowledge their roles and responsibilities.
- Download the Census Survey (PDF 199 kB)
- Download the Site Agreement Form (PDF 88 kB)
Standard #5: Outcome Measures (including data collected) in both Youth Leadership and Crime Prevention.
In order for the program to be EVIDENCE BASED, there must be measurement and instruments that allow evaluation.
- See our evaluation toolkit (click on the "evaluation" tab)
Standard #6: Inclusion of a Crime Reporting element.
Good and responsible citizenship require participants to do the right thing. Safe — and in some cases confidential — crime reporting is strongly encouraged. The main goal is to gain voluntary compliance where everyone does what is right.
- More about Crime Reporting
Standard #7: One additional component in Action Project field.
Youth should focus on those hot topics of the day and especially the issue(s) that they feel most effect them within their environments.
- More about Components
Standard #8: Each site shall have a Needs Assessment and Action Plan.
Each site shall conduct a needs assessment of their particular environment using a variety of evaluation and reporting instruments (attitude surveys, questionnaires, etc.) to ascertain what the perceived problems are in that environment. From this information, Action Plans can be devised to develop both short and long term solutions.
Standard #9: Each site shall have involvement with local Law Enforcement.
As this program is based in part on the philosophy, sound principals and best practices of crime prevention, it is important that youth reach out to those who are entrusted with assisting us to keep our society safe. It is an individual and collective responsibility to ensure good and responsible working relationships and to build partnerships and bridges within one's community.
Standard #10: Each site shall adhere to minimum YCW Brand standards.
The purpose of being a part of a national and international program is for its members to be able to identify with others of like minds and good will who are also engaged in similar practices and methods where all can identify as being a part of a greater youth movement.
In Summation
In summation, if you feel that your site has a unique situation
or particular need that are not met by these standards and variances,
please let us know by contacting us at Youth Crime Watch of
America, 9200 South Dadeland Blvd., Suite 417, Miami, FL 33156, USA, phone: 305-670-2409,
fax 305-670-3805, email: tech-assistance
ycwa.org.
As with all things, there are always unique situations that arise.
The mission of YCWA is to ensure that all sites are the best that they
can be with a minimum set of standards and restrictions.