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For almost 12 years, NYEP has worked to develop a housing based “self-reliance” model, targeting young women between 18-24. It works. The program teaches the psychology of change. What I mean by that is, depending on a homeless person’s circumstances, whether they are in need of emergency services, basic needs, treatment, education, employment, benefits assistance, etc. – it would make sense that a plan to reach self-sufficiency (housing, education and employment), in addition to a plan to build the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to keep current opportunities and grow them. And, it would also make sense that since this person is in need of this kind of help now, it’s likely that they can’t do it on their own, for whatever reason, or they would have already. They likely need an accountability coach.
It’s easy to forget what life was like at 18. Transitioning into adulthood is difficult. It’s especially difficult for youth who live in unsafe environments and lack support systems. Recognizing the need for organized, accountable residential life programs for young women who would otherwise be homeless, I founded the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project in 2007, and opened the doors to our Community Living Program in September of that year. My passion in delivering a standardized training curriculum led to a partnership with a local psychologist to build out the components.
We make a lot of assumptions based on our own experiences, and we see the world as we are, not as it is. Many have not learned the importance of time management, language syntax, keeping your word, self-confidence, internal navigation, getting along with others, problem solving, being a good roommate, cooking a tasty meal. They need someone to make sure they meet expectations and redirect them when they don’t.
I have learned through 20 years of working with older teens that the playing ground between a homeless and parentless child and a housed and parented child would be remedied with a pair of shoes or a backpack with school supplies. But, if the most basic needs are not being met, we know now that you can be fairly sure that emotional, physical, and spiritual needs are also not being met. Many of the youth hanging out on the streets of Reno have a place to sleep at night. What they don’t have are responsible, caring adults who provide consistent parental support and accountability to their children until they are prepared to live as an independent, contributing citizen. Without caring adult attention, any resources and services provided to youth are uncoordinated, insufficient and unaccountable, leading to false starts or failures.
Many young women in the Reno area are living this reality. Their unfortunate situations have left them homeless and direction less. These women’s primary concerns are finding a safe place to sleep every night and stretching the little money they have to pay for essentials. Without the skills to thrive independently and without families to guide them down successful paths, where can they turn?
I know homelessness is multi-dimensional and hard to solve. That handing out resources with no expectations in return, and giving out services in a voluntary, unorganized and uncoordinated manner will not manifest the outcomes we want for youth.
NYEP’s Community Living Program model teaches self-reliance to young women, who would otherwise be homeless, through a “residential life” curriculum that is staffed daily by principled adults who provide the residents with caring attention, including holding them accountable to their goals, like finishing high school, completing a skilled wage certificate, and making a home of their own.
Youth served by the program avoid homelessness and become consistently engaged with their community in a meaningful way. Program graduates will: live independently; maintain independent housing, skilled wage employment, and avoid welfare dependency, criminal involvement, and unplanned pregnancy. They will also continue to learn new skills, volunteer, and grow internal navigation in a positive and productive manner. The project impacts the young women it serves by empowering them with the necessary internal and external resources needed to overcome poverty, but it also impacts the overall community by adding more contributing citizens.
NYEP’s CLP serves 20 young women each year. The participants in the program go from creating graffiti to removing it. From talking other youth out of going to work, to encouraging them to get and keep jobs. From not being engaged civically to volunteering regularly in the community. They go from loitering in front of businesses to working at them. Instead of being a burden to our social service systems, they are making purchases and contributing to the overall economy. These youths represent not only a social opportunity, but also an economic one (an established adult will earn $375,300 over a lifetime). A non-contributing youth imposes taxpayer burden of $13,900 per year. A non-contributing youth imposes social burden of $37,450 per year. Once they reach 25, they impose a future lifetime taxpayer burden of $170,740. Once they reach 25, they impose a future lifetime a social burden of $529,030. And, as these young women change their future, they also change their children’s future.
The CLP is both effective by being needs driven, focused on a specific target population, providing what’s needed AND efficient by saving the community money in anticipated social and economic loss. The CLP targets young women, 18-24 years old who would otherwise be homeless, and who are willing and capable to the structured program’s rules and expectations. The program is staffed with caring, principled adults who not only ensure that the resident’s basic needs are met, but that “parenting” attention and structure are provided to hold youth residents accountable, so goals are met: education, employment and independent housing. Staff gets down Tues. it a skill, a hill, or a will, and creates a plan for the youth to overcome it.
The CLP is designed to give young women a place to feel safe and supported. Our staff truly cares. They are principled adults who hold residents accountable to their goals and teach crucial life lessons that change the way these women view the world. We give them the knowledge and resources they need to become self-sufficient. The participants in the program go from creating graffiti to removing it. From talking other youth out of going to work, to encouraging them to get and keep jobs. From not being engaged civically to volunteering regularly in the community. They go from loitering in front of businesses to working at them. Instead of being a burden to our social service systems, they are making purchases and contributing to the overall economy. And, as these young women change their future, they also change their children’s future.
So, if we want these kids to be successful, we’ve got to provide the environment and nurturing that makes any kid successful.
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Monica's [[RAW DATA, PRELIMINARY]] own story:
I have always been very empathetic towards others and prone to be obsessive on projects that I considered bigger than me. Being obsessed in a narrow field can be very comforting and that other boring Time consuming things can be ignored because the obsession takes priority and if it is a valid one it becomes an exciting portion of your life. Jo urn a ling observations in a obsession prone person is an art and science and is very rewarding Especially when coupled with high empathy to enjoy helping others in a specific way. Monica’s main obsession has been empowering young vulnerable underprivileged girls to become all they can be. While doing just that for many years, she has come to an understanding that there are many other opportunities to help deserving people and by concentrating on niches And garnering help from generous donors major changes can occur. Monica DuPea's passionate obsession is She especially loves to help female youths who who would otherwise be homeless, and under prepared for employment and other life challenges. She loves to help smart underprivileged high school graduates without scholarships earn a college degree at UNR and find a good job. Monica also likes to help selfless helpers of the helped who deserve help too; specifically she likes to help individuals who have devoted many years of their lives to running a small non-profit selflessly and at low pay while accumulating little or no assets of their own.
One reason I am so passionate about helping other helpers is that one of my donors made it possible for me to buy my own home. Without his help, I likely would Be renting forever. He gave me the down payment and asked to be anonymous. However he asked me to pay this forward by helping other deserving nonprofit workers to buy homes of their own when they Had worked years at small pay and could’t afford it on their own.
I was born and raised in Hawthorne, Nevada. From an early age.... [continue with experiences and reasons leading to a self-sacrificing life for the good of young women in need.]
Please don't assume that my life has been continuous awards and victories, or on the other hand, struggles, failures, and agony. Probably like yours, it has been an inevitable and incredible combination of both. I've always lived my passion but in a straight and narrow life style. I've always put my heart and soul into everything I have done. And although it hasn't always worked out in my favor, I have few regrets. My sincere long term obsession in life has been and will continue to be to help young lost women find a purpose in life and for me to help them become independent and successful citizens. Paralleling that, my complimenting goal is to find the Donors among you that also want to help homeless 18 year old under privileged girls develop their education and skills to obtain sustaining employment and life styles. In your commitment as a Donor to help our Nevada Youth Empowerment Project (NYEP), you will feel good about improving NYEP Girls' lives while consuming virtually none of your personal time.
Parents often are overwhelmed with being too busy to spend all the quality time they would like being with and influencing their children so they give their kids money and send them off to raise themselves. So what? So this is an opportunity for NYEP Donors to give money instead of time to save lives from destructive paths. By design, the money is carefully, professionally, efficiently, and intelligently spent on our Program that has rules and accountability with progress reports and all other pertinent data displayed online at NYEP.org/transparency for all to see.
live clean, wholesome lives, regardless of their religious faith, their racial background, or their day-to-day living conditions. CYO is not a department of the Archdiocese of Detroit; it has a separate and independent Board of Directors approved by the Archbishop annually. CYO believes in becoming a true partner with our community’s young people – it helps them to enjoy their youth; it teaches them to become faith and community leaders, and after they are grown, it encourages them to work with the next generation of youth, replicating this same process over and over again throughout our community
Picture Caption Monica DuPea is the Founder and Executive Director of the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project. Her CLP has ten years of successful data to show that NYEP’s programming and has earned her recognition from the Stand+ Foundation as a “Catalyst”, where she was trained in Market Based Management.
I opened NYEP and designed a program that was driven by what youth need vs what government funding streams support.
Bio It’s easy to forget what life was like at 18. Transitioning into adulthood is difficult. It’s especially difficult for youth who live in unsafe environments and lack support systems.
Many young women in the Reno area are living this reality. Their unfortunate situations have left them homeless and direction less. These women’s primary concerns are finding a safe place to sleep every night and stretching the little money they have to pay for essentials. Without the skills to thrive independently and without families to guide them down successful paths, where can they turn?
Recognizing the need for organized, accountable residential life programs for young women who would otherwise be homeless, I founded the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project in 2007, and opened the doors to our Community Living Program in September of that year. My passion in delivering a standardized training curriculum led to a partnership with a local psychologist to build out the components.
I have learned through 20 years of working with older teens that the playing ground between a homeless and parentless child and a housed and parented child would be remedied with a pair of shoes or a backpack with school supplies. But, if the most basic needs are not being met, we know now that you can be fairly sure that emotional, physical, and spiritual needs are also not being met. Many of the youth hanging out on the streets of Reno have a place to sleep at night. What they don’t have are responsible, caring adults who provide consistent parental support and accountability to their children until they are prepared to live as an independent, contributing citizen. Without caring adult attention, any resources and services provided to youth are uncoordinated, insufficient and unaccountable, leading to false starts or failures.
The CLP is designed to give young women a place to feel safe and supported. Our staff truly cares. They are principled adults who hold residents accountable to their goals, like finishing high school, getting a living wage job and securing affordable housing. We teach crucial life lessons that change the way these women view the world. We give them the knowledge and resources they need to become self-sufficient. As these young women change their futures, they change their children’s futures.
If you are like me, you grew up with at least one caring parent who made sure you had everything you needed to succeed. Skills used to be passed on from generation to generation, but this trend has been broken, and now millions of people lack even the most basic skills. There are many subpopulations of youth that, if described accurately, would give people direction on what specialized programming and services must be developed and provided for a specific subpopulation to reach its highest potential. If each subpopulation had an agency with a unique approach to its specific needs, then we’d have an effective continuum of care.
I do know, if left with only occasional memos, verbal/written threats, pointing to rules, and meetings, young people are continuing to rely on their own systems of change on a daily basis which isn’t sufficient to facilitate desired youth outcomes. Children who have been raised by addiction-prioritizing, childish/immature, criminal, uneducated, and/or homeless/transient parents result in a further disadvantaged young person. By the time they reach NYEP, it’s not just housing and food they need; they need love and care. They feel alone, rejected, and that they don’t belong in the world. Because the needs are many and root causes are complicated, staff are mature, professional, and skilled in connecting with and motivating young people. These young people have plenty of friends. They are in desperate need of solid adults who can help them appropriately address their problems in life.
So, if we want these kids to be successful, we’ve got to give them what we’d give any kid who is successful. or So, if we want these kids to be successful, we’ve got to provide the environment and nurturing that made other kids successful. |
Monica’s Obsession
Acknowledgments: Dr. Bob, Bob Lissner, Mr. C, the many generous donors.....
Having a home is everything. That’s why it’s such a surprise to me that our society doesn’t put more emphasis on conditioning young people to have the knowledge and abilities to acquire and maintain their own home. As we are recognizing as a whole society, people need a base from which to operate. Somewhere to store and prepare food, clean ourselves, and sleep—the basic tasks of self-care. But most importantly people need somewhere to root, relax, recreate, and build wings.
A home, in itself, does not manifest knowledge or ability. A home provides a sense of stability and safety, so people can open to up to, become vulnerable to new ideas, thoughts, and beliefs that lead to taking new risks and trying new things. So, when I see solutions for the homeless that do not include housing, I am not hopeful they will significantly or meaningfully change lives. Homeless people require internal resources to thrive in the world outside.
Growing up, I did not have to worry about resources. I had a home, family, and the great outdoors beyond our town. We lived in Hawthorne, NV on a military housing base that had been turned into affordable housing for the workers de-milling ammunition. As a child, when the weather was good, which was a lot, I was expected to play outside. My neighborhood friends and I would search the desert for little treasures others left behind and chase horny toads and lizards, getting lost in all freedom of the wide open spaces.
Our small, self-contained community included immediate and extended family (4 generations), whom I saw a lot. My Grandfather James (insert real name) was a firm man who leaned on the serious side of things. Just underneath his stern exterior lived a compassionate person. We had countless discussions about urgent topics, including homelessness. Even in the fourth least populated county in Nevada, there was hunger and homelessness, where I was first exposed to their plight.
I remember gravitating towards my grandpa because we were most alike. My grandpa and I would have lunch together regularly at a small café, Maggie’s. We would talk about how many youth were not not being prepared to meet the expectations of adulthood.
I believe
these conversations subconsciously inspired me to begin a decades-long career
in youth advocacy—to help young people prepare, or make provisions, for a
stable life journey. Doing that for many years has opened my eyes to other opportunities to help segments of our society....
It was just a few years ago, a childhood friend sent me a message thanking me and my mom for not asking him to leave at dinner time. He said he didn't get dinner at home and being fed at our house was something he never forgot.
The year was 2007, and I made the decision to be an advocate for youth. From my new base in Reno, I could see no independent living houses serving homeless women. I relied on community support at the beginning. As a new executive director of a new youth agency, I began attending the meetings associated w/homelessness. I quickly recognized there were no housing based youth-oriented efforts around youth transitioning to adulthood who were unprepared and under served. Some public-funded agencies provided assistance for foster youth aging out of care, but I saw an equal number of youth from the private sector not realizing indicators of youth success. Their lack of follow-up signaled an emphasis on processing clients over conditioning behavior, and on funding the organization over assisting homeless youth.
Youth require a range of niche programs to meet them where they are at and move them to where they need to be. Programs should have a vision for a young person, just like a family would. For example, the CLP Model (Community Living Program) envisions each resident will complete a skilled wage training certification, get a good paying job and secure independent housing, and we set up our environment and supports to meet these ends.
When
our housing marketed exploded we recognized finding affordable housing could be
a barrier for long term success, I secured a lease for NYEP to provide affordable
housing to graduates to ensure they could continue with their work and school
goals. The vision, planning, and implementation of strategically driven decision
making
Maintaining integrity of the program reinforces the sense of stability and safety in the house. The CLP scaffolds the “home culture” we cultivate at NYEP by following these essential guidelines: 1. Interviewing intakes in ways that result in appropriate clients for the resident shelter while training other providers as to who the client youth are and what they need 2. Facilitating CLP programming in order to achieve program outcomes. We meet youth where they are, give them the caring attention and keep a light push on them until they achieve, and ensure other providers understand this about our approach 3. Holding all residents and shelter staff accountable to the same CLP expectations and rules 4. Maintaining CLP practices through ongoing support, keep pushing graduates to learn more upon graduation
Nature abhors a vacuum. Without stern residency guidelines, NYEP could not play an effective role in each resident’s transformation. In the beginning before we had clearly defined a culture, the youth residents began to make it themselves and to suit their individual needs. Because housing residents come and go, its critical culture is created by the organization, promoting program expectations and goal achievements. The organization must maintain a sense of safety. It does that through stability of CLP programming. It is critical for young people with trust issues to be given safe housing if they are expected to become confident and endorse a life of self improvement.
A story shared with me that has really resonated: I met with a professor who recently relocated from NY, we were discussing youth homelessness and her work before coming to Reno. She described homeless youth like a stray dog: you bring them home, give them a warm bed and food, with a loving/caring person. The next morning you wake to find the bed chewed up, the food dish flipped over, half your couch eaten and a big pile of crap in the corner…your first instinct is to wonder why this dog that you took in and provided for would treat you like this. But it is important to remember change does not manifest from external resources like basic needs. Only behavioral reconditioning can create changes in our mental models that lead to development of internal resources that allows us to create and sustain our own resources. [needs simplified, sounds fortune cookie like]
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The below excerpt from your email is a good start. Can you refine or embellish it while keeping it concise?
I would get very heated during lunch, expressing frustrations about the shortcomings of parents and schoolteachers, a bit angry that I wasn’t more prepared for all the responsibility that was coming my way. I mean, geez, I was still raising my hand in class to use the bathroom and I was about to have to navigate the world on my own. I self reflected, a lot. I thought about how inadequacy felt. I thought about how feeling empowered felt. I imagined what it felt to experience things I hadn’t felt yet. I was curious to know why. Why this and why that. I questioned authority, systems, beliefs, customs, human responses, right and wrong, who decides whose right and wrong, why them, and in the end, I just wanted a consistent sensible compass of sorts to guide my own life. There were so many contradictions and distraction going on around my young mind, it was hard to do what was good and right for me. So, I was compelled to figure out my route to stability, peace and a rich and fulfilling life. I continued to gravitate towards organized and intentional people. By growing my circle of healthy, resourceful, reciprocating friends, I was able to experience achieving that compass, and as a result, lots of wonderful safe relationships with people who can show and receive affection at the same level as me, or maybe its reversed ;) I want the girls to experience what I have. I know how hard I’ve worked, how consistent I’ve had to be and what I sacrificed to prove a transparency and credibility that even opened the door to these significant relationships.
[I think you love helping people in general and especially certain people because....
I enjoy helping people who want to do the work to reach their potential, and the higher the better. I really honor that I have a skillset that helps others realize achievements that give them the drive to do and be more. It gives me quite a kick to think that I’m thought of as a bright light to many.
You live frugally, practically austere, so you can give even more; but why?
I live within my means. I do save because I’ve suffered and gone without. I believe we all have a bandwidth for suffering and mine is not big when it comes to having basic needs met, some savings, a reliable vehicle and a little money to play with here and there. I don’t spend it if I don’t have it because I did that in my early twenties and it ruined my credit for many years. When I was more responsible, I had to pay the price of bad credit with having to wait for things or paying more for items.
I believe in lifestyle routines. They help you be more responsible, healthy, lovable, loving, consistent. Much of the way I live is a routine. It makes it easier for me to do so much and it also keeps my anxiety down by giving me the comfort of knowing I’ve done all that’s on the task list. I’d like to think the way I live is an example to the girls – keep your word, mind your business, and help where you can.
Why aren't you even close to average in being selfish? I have no fucking idea. I’m trying to be more selfish though J
Why are you so naturally honest, truthful and transparent?
When I opened NYEP in 2007, I had left another non profit that imploded in on itself. I had to hire a consultant to remove my name from many of that organization’s online documents and website. For close to a year after opening, that other agency was brought up in NYEPs meetings. It was impressed upon me that it was better to disclose everything upfront with non profit matters. I have just maintained an open and honest communication with and about NYEP since inception.
I am however more private as an individual. For example, I’m very open with you about me personally because I trust you. I am more reserved and less likely to share with people I’m unsure of.
At an early age, what personality traits or events made Monica strong, generous and motivated? Were you emulating anyone or determined not to be like some people in your childhood?
I remember being drawn to the rebels when I was a kid. I was always a leader. I was bossy because I thought I was smarter. I was not scared to get into it with anyone. I was always sticking up for my friends and telling my girlfriends to kick the boys to the curb. I fought a ton! Like more times than I can count.
Is holding your residents and helped ones accountable part of your obsession?
I don’t think so. It actually makes me feel like I’m a nag. I wish the girls just do what they agreed to do when they moved in or when we ask them to do it. And, I have to spend time thinking of creative and effective ways to move people from one place to another. Holding people accountable is a favor to them, they just don’t realize it. People pay people big bucks to be accountability coaches.
Is you training the staff at bird-feeder non-profits to equip those they help to become self reliant part of your obsession or goals?
Yes. People are pulled to the path of least resistance. As long as we have places/programs giving away free things for nothing in return, how do you incentive someone to do something for something in return. It’s a child’s way to do what’s easy, convenient and fun.
Do you ever feel like picking on crappy parent(s) and their poor parenting?
Unfortunately, I’d be picking on a majority of parents. Most are letting technology, schools, and unsupervised time mold their children into adults. So, there’s a range to how much a young person needs to transition to adulthood successfully. Some have fully fucked their kids off and they need therapy, schooling, room mate skills, independent living skills, employment training and job placement while others may only need schooling, employment training and job placement. Depending on how off a kid it from indicators of youth success, I’ll cuss the parents out accordingly ;)
I believe your interest and commitment in youth advocacy is only a small part of your motivation. I believe your obsession(s) and the reasons behind it can probably be explained very simply and concisely, yet they are very complex with many facets like an expensive diamond.
You’re right. I want to reform the way we reform older youth.
Stella abounds with empathy since early youth; Marilyn displayed it mostly after advocating for clients; Are you average or above in being empathetic to others? When was your level of empathy first apparent to yourself?
I mentioned above I remember thinking a lot about thing when I was young, like early teens. There were several times that people could scare me because I would be so lost in my thoughts. I am super empathetic, so much so that I know that way to truly help someone is to empower them to do for themselves. Much different than the bleeding heard bird feeder mindset that most non profit operate from. Yes, give someone food and they are no longer hungry or give them a home and now they are housed are instant and effective approaches…if your outcome is to feed and house this person. I want more for people. I want them to live rich and fulfilling lives. They can’t live in public housing, be on welfare and rely on the generosity of strangers to make that dream come true.
I would also say that I am compassionate but I’m not a sucker, nor am I interested in just tiding someone over till the next time. I don’t particularly like to help situations that never change. If the decision makers are not interested in doing anything different, then I likely would not help them as I belief my resource would just be given out through the birdfeeder.
Monica DuPea
Executive Director Nevada Youth Empowerment Project -- Join our mailing list!!! C: (775) 240-2195 P: (775) 747-2073 F: (888) 331-0717 monica.nyep@gmail.com
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