The RFA STEP program is a program specially designed to tailor to the growing needs of the high school age young men and women of Restavec Freedom Alliance. It stands for Supplementary Trade or Education Program and its goal is to allow its members to grow and understand the essentials for thriving in adulthood through demonstrating leadership, community service, and financial responsibility as well as researching career paths that mirror their passions and interests. STEP will be a program in which both the young men and women of RFA come together and STEP up, to be role models for both their homes of refugee and the local community.
RESTAVEC FREEDOM ALLIANCE: STEP PROGRAM
FUNDING:
This program will succeed by having STEP student sponsorships of $100 a month. This budget will be used on youth trips (transportation and speakers) as well as a monthly allowance for each child, their mentors (one for the young women and one for the young men). In addition the finding for this program will be used to purchase materials needed for learning and research for monthly topics and presentations.
DEMONSTRATING LEADERSHIP:
A way that the STEP program members demonstrating leadership is through meeting 3 times a month to discuss and prepare a presentation to the youth of RFA. Topic may be chosen by program director or by the members of STEP. Through coming together and educating the youth of the program, members demonstrate their ability to be positive role models, who pass on an important message/topic that is either faith based or educational.
EDUCATION:
One day a month the members of STEP will take an educational field trip. It will be a day where transportation will be provided as well as lunch. They will visit a local school, where someone will explain to them what a typical day is like in a certain profession. Or, they can visit a place of employment where someone of a particular skill set can demonstrate their work/daily duties of their profession. This will allow the students to understand different opportunities and professions that Haiti has. It will allow them to expand their thinking and further understand that there are countless options for the direction they can take for the career path they aspire to follow.
COMMUNITY SERVICE:
One day a month members of STEP are required to perform community service in their own way. This can be done through several ways. Some examples include making a donation to a family in need in their community, asking a local pastor what the church needs help with, helping their house parents clean or cook.
ALLOWANCE/BUDGETING:
Members of STEP will be provided with an allowance of $10 a month. The allowance will be spent on their own terms, but extensive guidance will be provided. The students will be educated in budgeting and ways of saving their monthly allowance. Examples include, using money in a team way to donate, spend or save for a future purchase. This will allow the students to understand that as a team they can come together and purchase something sustainable and create a larger profit for the group as a whole. It will also teach the students the importance of being “their brother and sisters keeper” and taking care of one another in times of need.