Hostos Community College is one of two CUNY campuses participating in the expansion of the successful CUNY Fatherhood Academy (CFA), a program of the NYC Young Men’s Initiative (YMI). Hostos was recently awarded $441,425 to help young fathers prepare for and enroll in college and/or training programs. CFA target participants are Black and Latino fathers, ages 18–24, from New York City.
"Hostos Community College is proud to partner with other CUNY campuses and the Mayor’s Office on this important initiative,” said Hostos President Dr. David Gómez. “Supporting fathers and providing them with the tools they need to succeed is a mission we take seriously. Whether it be through higher education offerings, mentoring, or employment services, the CUNY Fatherhood Academy will help build stronger families, and in the long run, stronger communities.”
The CFA program will allow Hostos to provide young fathers with the critical education, occupational training and support services needed to achieve socioeconomic mobility for themselves and their families. According to the 2013 YMI Annual Report, the NYC unemployment rate is 20% for Latino youth and 37% for Black youth ages 16–24 compared to 19% for White youth.
“Today we are announcing that we are doubling down once again,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives Richard Buery. “We are investing an additional $1 million to expand the CUNY Fatherhood Academy to Kingsborough Community College and Hostos Community College through the Mayor’s Young Men’s Initiative. As the son of a loving father and the father of two sons myself, I know how much a father’s love affects a child’s self-esteem, independence, emotional responsiveness, and more. CUNY Fatherhood Academy is one of the most important investments we can make as a City. By investing in our fathers, we are investing in our future.”
Hostos Community College was selected as a CFA expansion site because of its experience providing HSE preparation and college transition services, utilizing a peer mentor model, to young Black and Latino men through its NYC YMI IMPACT Peer Mentoring Program. The program has helped more than 60 YMI graduates attain their HSE diploma. Hostos YMI peer mentors have helped more than 40% of program graduates enroll in college.
“Hostos is the perfect site to replicate the CFA program because we have a long standing commitment to helping young Black and Latino men achieve socioeconomic mobility,” said Carlos Molina, Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development at Hostos.
In 2012, LaGuardia Community College implemented the CFA program, which was designed to promote parenting skills and foster economic stability for unemployed and underemployed young fathers through education, employment, and personal development. All CFA participants are involved in family engagement activities with their children and family members. Participants are also offered supportive services such as individualized case management, career preparation, assistance with job placement, internships and tutoring.
“The Hostos CFA program will help young Black and Latino fathers develop the skills needed to attain a HSE diploma and enroll in occupational training and/or college,” said Darryl Rogers, Senior Program Coordinator for the Hostos Adult Learning Center. “More importantly, it will help them obtain hands-on parenting skills to be effective fathers.”
The Hostos CFA program will recruit two cohorts of approximately 30 young fathers for the High School Equivalency Track and one cohort of 10 young fathers for the College Prep Track per year. All CFA participants will also receive career development courses and occupational training for health care positions such as Certified Nursing Assistant, Health Information Technician, and Patient Care Technician.
The Hostos CFA project is being overseen by Fatiha Makloufi, Director of College Transition Programs, and Darryl Rogers. Members of the grant team included Darryl Rogers (Senior Program Coordinator), Evelyn Fernández-Ketcham (Executive Director of Workforce Development), and Joan Falcetta (Director of Finance).
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About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "Student Success Coaching Unit" provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.
Named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 24 colleges.