JR Brothers Vocational Automotive
Many youth today are involved in violence, gang activity, drugs, and alcohol. These teens are labeled at-risk because of their potential for legal consequences as well as their destructive choices.  The non-profit group, JR Brothers Ministries, has developed a program that engages at-risk youth in positive choices through mentoring, job skills, and counseling.  The program involves an automotive vocational school that offers free programs to at-risk youth and reduced fee automotive services for community members in Travis and surrounding Texas counties.

JR Brothers Vocational Automotive proposes to:

• Provide services for youth ages 16-20.
• Identify at-risk youth and engage them to obtain a credential.
• Closely link youth to the job market and connect them with employers.
• Impact youth to achieve employability skills, occupational skills, and employment success that will lead to self-sufficiency.
• Demonstrate measurable and desirable youth performance outcomes.

JR Brothers Vocational Automotive focuses on the following needs believed to be necessary for success:

• High expectations of student achievement
• Emphasis on basic skills
• An orderly climate
• Regular evaluation of students’ progress with clear feedback
• Provide social support (counselors, teachers, etc.),
• Ample use of praise for good performance
• Smaller school and classroom size
• Firm, but not severe discipline
• Widespread opportunities for children to take responsibility
• Higher proportion of teacher time interacting with class as a whole
• Active involvement in the learning process

As a result of the program, JR Brothers hopes to instill the following key personal characteristics that will enhance the well-being of its students.

• Social skills
• Hope
• Self-confidence and independence
• Self-esteem
• Delay gratification / restraint /impulse control
• Stress tolerance
• Problem-solving

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