T.I.P, a partnership between the Columbus Bar Association, the Muscogee County School District, and Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services, Inc., the program provides volunteer mentors to children who are involved in the juvenile court system due to excessive absences from school. The main objective of the program is to provide positive early intervention when children are identified for excessive school absences. The program goal is to identify the reason for truancy and help the family resolved them, thus the child remains in school. School success the child's life can be redirected to a more positive and constructive future.A Mentor’s Role...
- upon completion of mentor training, attorneys and non attorneys receive a training certificate. Attorneys receive CLE credits for the class.
- a mentor makes a commitment to serve
- for a minimum of one year or until a case is closed.
- spend 20 or more hours annually on a case.
- agree to serve as a role model.
- advocate for the child and family; identify and utilize community resources.
- the most important assistance a mentor gives to a child is his/her time and attention.
- mentors help children understand the value of education and inspire them to stay in school for a better future.
Columbus T.I.P History
In 2002, through the leadership of Marc D’Antonio and Peter J. Daughtery, a past President of the Columbus Bar Association and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia, Columbus T.I.P was established as a collaborative effort of the Columbus Bar Association, Muscogee County Juvenile Court, Muscogee County School District, Georgia Legal Services Program, Inc., Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, and Georgia T.I.P.
T.I.P. was re-organized under the umbrella of Twin Cedars Youth and Family Services, Inc. in 2011. Our goal is to increase school attendance and alleviate truancy
Vision
To recruit and train volunteer attorneys and non-attorneys to help build healthy and strong communities by providing resources and advocating for children to meet life's challenges and to foster resiliency and hope for a better future by preventing school failure.
Mission
- To support youth to reach their optimum potential in school and prevent truancy & related problems.
- To partner with mentors who work with families to support a plan for a better life.
- To serve each youth and family with respect and dignity, acknowledging their strengths, needs and preferences.
- To provide resources that are culturally responsive to the diverse needs of the families we serve.
- To provide leadership in creating lasting resources for families in their communities.
Truancy at a Glance
Experts agree that truancy is the first sign of trouble, a gateway to crime and that high school rates of truancy are linked to daytime burglary rates and vandalism and are known risk factors for serious juvenile delinquency.
Early Intervention can save lives….
- More than 88% of all adult prison inmates, in Georgia, are high school dropouts.
- In Georgia, 31% of high school students do not graduate on time.
- In 106 of the 159 Georgia counties, students graduate at rates that are below state average.
- Of the total number of children served, statistics show an 82.1% total success rate since inception.
- In 2010, 52.3% of children served were male while 47.7% of students were female.
Sommer Lewis, T.I.P Coordinator
Columbus Truancy Intervention Project
18 Ninth Street, Suite 104
Columbus, Georgia 31901
Cell (706) 302-6777 Fax (706) 327-7904
slewis@twincedars.org