Abstract

In Santa Cruz, California, a local hospital and the County Probation Department developed a culinary institute for teens on probation. As a result of this collaborative effort, and a shared vision of improving the community, these highly at-risk youth learn skills to help them to land jobs and to become productive citizens. This effective practice was highlighted in Dominican Hospital's Focus on Health magazine, Spring 2004. An article on the culinary program ran in the January 31, 2004 edition of the Santa Cruz Sentinel .

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Issue

Youth become "at-risk" due in part to social and economic factors. Helping this population become more productive members of society can be accomplished by providing professional and life skills training as a community endeavor.

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Action

Dominican Culinary Institute's cooking classes for teens on probation is a collaborative effort between Dominican Hospital and the Santa Cruz County Probation Department. Effective practices included:

• Dominican Hospital donated the use of its kitchen facilities and food, and the County Probation Department provided recruitment and supervision of youth in the program.
• Because of the donations of time by Dominican's executive chef and others in the probation department, the class was offered at no cost to participants.
• Six youths, aged 15-18, all at varying levels within the probation system, attended the pilot classes between 6:00-9:00 p.m. every Tuesday for 16 weeks.
• During this time, they learned the basics needed to pursue a job, a career, or an education in the culinary arts field.
• Classroom activities and reading were combined with hands-on cooking experience.
• At the end of the course, the youth prepared a four-course graduation dinner for their families and officials from the hospital and the Probation Department. Other area chefs collaborated in this event.
• Youth who demonstrated diligent attendance and did well in the class will have access to internships, job opportunities, and a chance to take additional classes that are currently being developed.
• Dominican Hospital has committed to placing two students as interns in the kitchen, and the probation department has provided funds for stipends for these interns.
• Other graduates will intern at various high-end restaurants throughout the county, largely because of outreach efforts by Dominican's executive chef.

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Context

Chef Stanchfield of Dominican Hospital developed the Culinary Institute with Tara Fisher of the Santa Cruz County Probation Department.

"Our department focuses on restorative justice," Fisher says. The idea is that while teens who are violent or dangerous will still be locked up, those aren't will be given the tools to become productive members of society.

Dominican Hospital (Catholic Healthcare West), located in Santa Cruz, California, is a not-for-profit, 375-bed, full-service hospital with a 60-year tradition of providing quality and compassionate care and community service. The mission of Dominican Hospital is to continuously improve the health of the people of its community. Essential to this mission are the core values of dignity, excellence, collaboration, justice, and stewardship.

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Outcome

• In January 2004, the first youths graduated from Dominican Hospital's Culinary Institute.
• According to Dominican Executive Chef Shawn Stanchfield, "We gave the students marketable, transferable skills that can last a lifetime, and a boost in self-esteem that might be the first that some have ever experienced."
• According to one student, the Culinary Institute's class taught her valuable cooking skills, and improved her ability to communicate and listen.
• These opportunities will help youth to learn employment and life skills, and will help them obtain higher-paying jobs more quickly.

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Evidence

• Before Santa Cruz County's new programs that focused on getting juvenile offenders out of Juvenile Hall and into their homes for rehabilitation, Juvenile Hall sometimes ran at 150 percent of capacity, according to figures from the Probation Department.
• In 1997, the average daily population of Juvenile Hall was 47. In 2004 the average daily population is 27.
• Of all the teens sent home, only two percent have committed new offenses while awaiting for resolution of their cases, according to Fisher.

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Source Documents

Related Practices

• Combining job skills, training, and GED acquisition for disadvantaged youth
• Reducing delinquency through service
• Using service-learning to introduce at-risk students to a broader community

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