Blog Post: ACYR Receives National Accreditation

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Arizona Call-A-Teen Youth Resources, Inc. (ACYR) Receives PEPNet Accreditation

As a High Quality Youth Workforce and Education Organization.

ACYR is one of eight youth-serving organizations who recently received recognition through the National Youth Employment Coalition Promising and Effective Practices (NYEC PEPNet) Accreditation Pilot. The pilot, conducted over the past 16 months with support from the William Penn Foundation, sought to identify successful practices, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and continue to implement a national system of quality standards for youth organizations.

Twelve organizations participated in the 16-month NYEC PEPNet Accreditation Pilot.  ACYR was one of four in the nation to receive a three year accreditation.  Four other programs received a provisional accreditation.

Incorporated in 1976, ACYR annually provides opportunities for earning a high school diploma, vocational training, postsecondary access, and work readiness activities to over 1,500 young people.  Programs include the Center of Excellence – an NCA accredited charter high school, Workforce Development initiatives for the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County, Adult Education and GED preparation, and Phoenix Youthbuild, a construction trades and education program.

“It is quite an honor to be recognized for such high standards of quality,” says ACYR Executive Director Pam Smith.  “This accreditation conveys to the community that we take seriously our mission of developing our greatest natural resource – youth, and serves to validate the hard work of a dedicated and exceptional staff.”

Since, 1995, NYEC’s PEPNet, the Promising Effective Practices Network, has been one of the premier resources for enhancing the quality of programs that link young people (ages 12 to 25) to work and education to promote a successful transition to adulthood. The NYEC PEPNet Accreditation designates organizations of exceptional quality that represent quality practice and provide resources for others in the field nationally and internationally. To achieve NYEC PEPNet Accreditation, youth organizations must meet the NYEC PEPNet Quality Standards and have a history and support system indicating a high quality program that can be sustained into the foreseeable future.

###