The Detroit Youth Resource Alert Project is a new, comprehensive communication model and collaborative effort to consistently engage and enrich Greater Detroit youth.

1. The Resource Alert
Project (RAP) is a
new, comprehensive
communication
model and
collaborative effort
to consistently
engage and enrich
Greater Detroit
youth.

2. What is The Resource Alert Project
(RAP)?

With a demo version currently available on
the Google Play Store, RAP will improve
the way we share resources to and for our
(primarily 13- to 21-year-old youth and
young adults. However, RAP is more than
a technology product, and must be
supported by companion products and
projects to bolster project awareness and
outreach in our efforts to build brighter
futures in a better Detroit every day.

The Resource Alert Project (RAP) is a
free, powerful, practical “app” for mobile
devices (tablets, laptops and personal
computers too) that consistently delivers
important information about youth and
community resources to benefit Detroit's
young generation, and better us all.

3. • Too many young people don’t know what
resources are available to them.
• Too many youth and community resources
don’t know about each other.
• Too few (children), teens and young adults
leverage resources that can help them
succeed in school and life.
• Too few youth and community resources
connect and collaborate to create a more
unified, functional , empowered network.
WHY
The Resource
Alert Project?

4. The Detroit Youth Resource Alert Project (RAP) is
built on a simple premise that most children need one of
two things to make more out of life: positive people and /
or productive options.
“Children spend only 20 percent of their waking time
annually in formal classroom education.” That leaves 80
percent of their time for exploring and enhancing their
learning interests in non-school settings.”
Elena Lopez, Ph.D.,
The Harvard Family Research Project
“The presence and positive engagement of parents and
other caring adults is and always will make the greatest
difference in young people’s lives.”
My Brother’s Keeper Task Force,
Report to the President, May 30, 2014
WHY RAP?

5. 
Aided by the convenience and constant access
provided by mobile devices, especially smart
phones, 92% of teens report going online daily
— including 24% who say they go online “almost
constantly.”

Nearly three-quarters of teens have or have
access to a smart phone and 30% have a basic
phone, while just 12% of teens 13 to 17 say they
have no cell phone of any type. African-
American teens are the most likely of any group
of teens to have a smart phone, with 85% having
access to one, compared with 71% of both white
and Hispanic teens.
(Pew Research Center, April, 2015).
WHY RAP?
(cont'd.)

6. How Will RAP Solve These
Problems?

Consistently communicate these
resources – and youth events,
programs, activities, job and
scholarship information, etc. – to
individuals, families and communities
using the RAP mobile “app”, along
with a variety of companion projects
such as media and PR initiatives,
online outreach (website marketing,
e-newsletters and social media), and
live events to increase RAP users.

Continue to grow an online directory*
of youth-serving individuals and
groups in the Greater Detroit Area
that now contains more than 275
youth resources, and engage as
much support and many supporters
as possible.

7. Resource Alert Project GOALS

To improve ways we engage, encourage
and enrich our children.

To consistently share information for Detroit
youth with our families and communities.

To activate more individual contributions
from great Detroiters – as supporters,
volunteers and mentors – to collectively
benefit more of Detroit's young generation.

To inspire a better informed and more
collaborative youth-serving community
throughout the Greater Detroit area that will
lead to brighter futures for us all.

8. 
Currently working with high school students who are learning how to code and develop apps
with the help of a Microsoft certified trainer. These students will then use their new skills to
update The Detroit Youth Resource Alert Project (RAP) mobile app. This update will include a
24-hour hotline; job, scholarship and internship opportunities; and, information on more
than 15,000 colleges, universities, technical schools and vocational schools.

Launching an area-wide PR and media campaign to garner more youth resources.

Increasing project awareness and value by enlisting RAP network partners such as ARISE
Detroit, The Detroit Impact Center, Wayne County Mental Health Authority, Building Better
Men, and others.

Creating companion projects such as the new student-directed television show, “30 Minutes
With Detroit” (www.vimeo.com/116395042) in partnership with PBS and The Detroit Public
Television Network.

Discussing, determining and delivering strategies to better engage youth, family and
community resources; youth and students; and our communities-at-large.

Developing related initiatives such as student resource fairs at area high schools.
Where We ARE

10. Implementation PLAN

Establish project identity, visibility, viability and
credibility

Develop team leadership and organizational
structure

Form partnerships and alliances

Secure project funding

Define project metrics

Refine creative and technical development
RAP is a communication & collaboration initiative for greater youth engagement & enrichment