The Juntos Program

Jessica

1. ”Build rapport right away with the families you serve to create a trust for a strong relationship with one another. 2. Be very clear with the youth you serve about what kind of support and services you can provide for them, so they have a realistic expectation for what you can help them with. 3. Set boundaries with youth in order for them to know what you can and cannot offer as support. Sometimes youth see you as a friend because they trust you, but as the adult, you have to make sure they know the difference. This is very important for you and the youth. 4. Be adaptable. Every youth has a specific background, and you will have to provide different resources and create a curriculum based on the needs of the students you are serving. 5. Let the families you serve know that you are required to keep your conversations with them confidential. This lets them know that it’s saf e to talk with you and can make a huge difference for the family and students you are working with.”

Q: What has been the biggest surprise for you as a Juntos coordinator?

Kathy “ The deep passion I have developed for helping families. It is so easy to help someone who wants help, but the greatest reward comes from helping those who feel and think of themselves as helpless. The most unexpected thing has not been knowing that I have touched the lives of 40+ students and families on their journey across the high school graduation stage, but knowing how the students and their families have touched my life and that of my family. ” Bianca “ I had never heard of a curandero (medicine man) before, and one day while conducting a home visit with one of my students, I witnessed a curandero performing a healing remedy on one of the parents. Working with Juntos brought many cultural and traditional experiences that I, as an anthropology major and La tina, have enjoyed learning about.” Eddie “The COVID - 19 pandemic. It’s something that has affected all of us at different levels. COVID-19 has taken jobs, well-being, family members, and friends. Since the pandemic, we have all struggled with something as a result. Right now the biggest thing I’ve seen is a lack of motivation and effort from not only youth but adults. I feel burned out and exhausted, and I know others feel the same, but we have to stay strong and make sure we help others around us. Times w ill get better, and we will get better.” Jessica “ Having a group of students I worked with who initially did not see the value in education transition into believing that they could accomplish whatever goals they had set for themselves. Many of these students came from a background in which they had been working since they were young and did not believe there was anything other than a hard-labor job for them. After participating in the Juntos program and attending campus tours to schools such as the University of North Carolina Wilmington and NC State University, they began to see and think about how attainable an education was. Even the students who thought they could never get into a college began the process of FAFSA, RDS, and college applications. The graduating class of 2019 was the group in which I saw the biggest transformations, and I worked diligently with them to help them attain their goals, but this was simply because the program changed their perspective and gave them an opportunity to dream big and aim for it.”

Q: What is one of the most important lessons have you learned being a Juntos coordinator?

Kathy “ That most parents do want to help their students be successful. Sometimes we (school staff or even coordinators) equate parental absenteeism with a parent who does not care for education. There are a few