Caring Across Communities, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative, will address the mental health needs of underserved children and youth by supporting school-connected mental health services for students who require them. Special emphasis will be given to projects that help children of immigrant and refugee families overcome the cultural and language barriers to mental health services.

Prospective grantees must represent partnerships among school districts and other appropriate community agencies. Partner organizations might include community mental health centers, multicultural service agencies, faith-based organizations, and/or other immigrant- or refugee- serving organizations with mental health expertise.

As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change.

Take on an exciting new challenge this fall. Experience Corps needs senior volunteers (ages 55 and older) to tutor and mentor students at local elementary schools. Reading tutors commit five hours per week to helping first, second and third grade students improve their reading skills. Male mentors are paired with fourth, fifth or sixth grade boys and meet one afternoon each week.

Stipend positions are available for classroom volunteers willing to commit 16 hours per week. No teaching experience is needed. All volunteers receive extensive training and ongoing support from site coordinators.

Information sessions for interested people will be held on July 13, 19, 27 and August 2. For more information, please call 202-797-1150 or email lberkowitz@experiencecorps.org.

Experience Corps? offers new adventures in service for Americans over 55. Now in 14 cities, Experience Corps works to solve serious social problems, beginning with literacy. Today more than 1,800 Corps members serve as tutors and mentors to children in urban public schools and after-school programs, where they help teach children to read and develop the confidence and skills to succeed in school and in life. Research shows that Experience Corps boosts student academic performance, helps schools and youth-serving organizations become more successful, strengthens ties between these institutions and surrounding neighborhoods, and enhances the well- being of the volunteers in the process. Experience Corps is a signature program of Civic Ventures.

Job Summary: The Program Manager-Older Youth reports to the Director of Youth Development and is responsible for the overall development and recruitment of hard to reach older youth focusing on education, lifeskills, artistic development, physical development and marketable skills to carry out the goals of the Youth Development Department.

Perry School Community Services Center, Inc. was founded in 1991 by residents of communities in the North Capitol St. area of Washington, D.C. to create and operate the Perry School Community Services Center to address conditions of chronic poverty in those communities. As its mission, PSCSC, Inc., through a collaborative, comprehensive and integrated approach to social services, economic empowerment and youth development, eradicates poverty, its causes, and consequences, resulting in positive outcomes for youth, adults and families within a service area established by the Board of nine census tracts in the North Capitol St. area with approximately 20,000 people including 5,100 youth 19 years of age and under. In addition to managing the Perry Center, PSCSC, Inc. provides services in youth development, social services and economic empowerment. PSCSC, Inc. seeks an Older Youth Program Manager in its Youth Development Department to guide older youth in obtaining positive lifeskill outcomes while carrying out the mission and strategic plan of PSCSC, Inc. and the responsibilities of the Youth Development Department.

Applications should be submitted no later than July 31, 2006 to Corey V. Poole, Director Youth Development, PSCSC, Inc., 128 M St., NW, #230, Washington, D.C., 20001 or email Corey V. Poole at cpoole@perryschool.org if you have any questions concerning this announcement.
No Phone calls will be accepted

List of available opportunities on the project finder:

Resource Guide for Prospective Parents
Evaluating Mental Health Policies in the US
NSP Data Assessment
Collaboration DC "Mapping South of Washington"

If you would like to share any announcements from your organization or campus with the CoRAL Network community, send a brief blurb to kcarter@coralnetwork.org by close of business each Thursday for inclusion in the following Monday's Newsbits.

Please note that submissions MUST be about local events, news, opportunities and activities that are related to community affairs in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Northern Virginia.