Pathways-Senderos Teen Pregnancy Prevention Center
Background
The Pathways/Senderos Center was established in January 1993. The
neighborhood-based program targets poverty-stricken youth and
their families in New Britain for comprehensive, holistic services
designed ultimately to prevent teen pregnancy.
Our program is based upon a highly successful Harlem (NY) program
begun in the 1980s by Dr. Michael Carrera and the Children’s Aid
Society. Dr. Carrera, who served as a consultant to our program,
uses a case management approach to provide long-term, intensive
services for youth and their families.
The program model includes six integrated components academic
support; career preparation; family life and sex education;
recreation/lifetime sports; health care, and self-esteem enhancement.
Philosophy
We have created a center where
children feel safe, welcomed and
nurtured, so that learning and skill-
building occur. In order to interrupt
the intergenerational cycles of teen
parenting and poverty, our staff
strives to develop in each child:
• The competency and motivation to
achieve success
• The competency and motivation to avoid
early parenthood
• The capability to envision a pathway to a
hopeful future that includes education and
careers, rather than parenting too soon
The Problem
Research shows that
children born to teen
parents are likely to:
• live in poverty
• fail in school
• suffer family violence
and sexual abuse
• become teen parents.
Recognizing the
significance of these
facts, our program is
designed to stop the
intergenerational
cycles of teen
parenting.
Children
Pathways/Senderos Center serves girls and boys, ages 10-18, from the
inner city poverty-stricken, high-risk Arch Street area. All of the youth are
at high risk for becoming teen parents.
• They come from poor families with undereducated parents; most are
Spanish- speaking.
• Many have severe academic problems and long-standing negative
relationships with the schools.
• Many are siblings of teen parents.
• Many are children who were born to teen parents.
What
Pathways/Senderos
Is All About......