About Pathways/Senderos
Our Mission
To eliminate teen pregnancy by addressing its root causes, assuring high school graduation and promoting adult self-sufficiency. We provide long-term, comprehensive, holistic service by creating a parallel family structure with New Britain youth and parents.
Our motto: Diplomas Before Diapers
Background
The Pathways/Senderos Center was established in January 1993.The community-based program targets poverty-stricken youth and their families in New Britain for comprehensive, holistic services designed ultimately to prevent teen pregnancy. We use a case management approach to provide long-term, intensive services for youth and their families.
Our program model includes seven integrated components: academic support; career preparation; family life and sex education; violence prevention; recreation/lifetime sports; health care referrals; and self-esteem enhancement.
The Problem
Research shows that children born to teen parents are more likely to:
- Live in poverty
- Fail in school
- Suffer family violence and sexual abuse
- Become teen parents
Recognizing the significance of these facts, our program is designed to stop the intergenerational cycles of teen parenting.
The Philosophy
Our methodology involves creating a parallel family structure at the Center. We make sure the children feel safe, welcomed, and nurtured so that learning and skill-building occur. To interrupt the intergenerational cycles of teen parenting and poverty, our staff strives to develop in each child:
- The competency and motivation to achieve success;
- The competency and motivation to avoid early parenthood;
- The capability to envision a pathway to a hopeful future that includes education and careers, rather than parenting too soon.
The Children
Pathways/Senderos Center serves girls and boys, ages 10-18, from the inner-city poverty-stricken, high-risk areas of New Britain. All of the youth are at high risk for becoming teen parents.
- They come from low-income families with under educated parents (most are Spanish-speaking);
- Many have severe academic problems and long-standing negative relationships with the schools;
- Many are siblings of teen parents;
- Many are children who were born to teen parents.
Evaluation
Our most recent evaluation (2020) found that:
- Only 3 participants (2 girls, 1 boy) have created a pregnancy in our 25 year history, and 0 pregnancies have occurred since 2006.
- 100% of students who remain with the program graduate from high school;
- 91% of graduates enroll in post-secondary education, mostly into four-year institutions of higher education;
- 31% of graduates have a college degree or certificate;
- 97% of graduates who can work are employed.
Additionally, our participants are less likely to take drugs or engage in violence compared to national and state data.