URBAN COMPASS

What they do

URBAN COMPASS PROVIDES SERVICES IN TWO LOS ANGELES COMMUNITIES - WATTS and PICO UNION. WHILE THESE COMMUNITIES ARE DIFFERENT IN MANY WAYS, BOTH COMMUNITIES ARE PLAGUED BY GANG ACTIVITY, BOTH EXPERIENCE WIDESPREAD ACADEMIC CHALLENGES, and BOTH ARE EXTREMELY UNDERSERVED BY SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. THESE AREAS ARE STARVED for SOCIAL SERVICES, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA of ACADEMIC SUPPORT. THE OFFICE of JUVENILE JUSTICE and DELINQUENCY PREVENTION REPORTS THAT CHILDREN ARE MOST LIKELY to ENGAGE IN RISKY BEHAVIORS, SUCH AS VIOLENT CRIME, DURING THE AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS of 3-7 PM. THE NEEDS of THESE COMMUNITIES ARE WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED, YET THE RESOURCES to ADDRESS THESE NEEDS REMAIN SCARCE. THROUGH EARLY INTERVENTION, URBAN COMPASS WORKS to KEEP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS OUT of GANGS BY PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORT and ENRICHMENT IN A SAFE and SUPERVISED SPACE DURING VULNERABLE AFTER SCHOOL HOURS - PUTTING OUR STUDENTS and THEIR FAMILIES ON A PATH to COLLEGE and A POSITIVE FUTURE. BY ENGAGIN