interview techniques, job readiness, leadership development, as well as paid and unpaid employment opportunities. Along with these many services to help get misguided youth back on track, Servicios also provides follow-up services to participants up to one year upon completion of the program.

“There are a ton of successes. I think it just depends on how you define success,” explained Ortega. “We have kids who come in here and have completed the program and are now in college and are going after their post-secondary credits. We have kids who graduated and are working in stable jobs. We have kids who are participating in the GED program, but have already secured employment.”

According to Ortega, with over 200 youth participants in 2008, over 60% of the youth received their high school diploma or GED, and there has been a 90% overall success rate among youth participants in 2009.

The organization is also trying to get mental health assistance within the youth program to help these youth deal with the day-to-day challenges they may face.

“To help them deal with even the little things that are main source of stress for these youth – dealing with job loss or poverty in the home, or having a pregnant girlfriend, or dealing with break-ups. Those are things that affect the kids from being successful and going to school and getting a job and being on time, etc.” explained the Social Services Manager.

With one satellite office at Denver Juvenile Probation, Servicios is currently seeking a partnership located in south west Denver to create another satellite office to make the program more accessible to more youth.

“I kind of look at our services as, there is no excuse for youth not succeed, because what you ...