Congreso: Strengthening Latino Youth and Families in Philadelphia

Originally published November 2006

Five years ago, Fernando escaped a shootout in his drug- and violence-infested neighborhood in Puerto Rico only to find himself in similar circumstances in Philadelphia. Without a high school diploma, a job, or English language skills, Fernando was facing a bleak future. Today, however, Fernando is a success story: he has enrolled in college, works as a supervisor, and wants to be a computer science professional. Why the turnaround? The answers lie with a dynamic organization in Philadelphia with deep Hispanic roots: Congreso de Latinos Unidos (Congreso) . Without the support from staff and programs like Congreso, Spanish-speaking youth like Fernando would have otherwise been unable to navigate the local school system or access community resources, leaving them vulnerable to school absenteeism and negative peer influences.

Since its inception in 1977 as a grassroots health-focused service agency, Congreso has grown to become a leading Latino organization that each year serves more than 18,000 individuals (almost 50% of whom are ages 9 to 24). It offers a unique mix of educational programs, workforce development and job training programs, supportive services for youth and their families, and community advocacy that is culturally and linguistically sensitive to Latinos across Philadelphia.

Congreso’s stellar work and leadership on behalf of the community has earned recognition from the National Council of La Raza (one of the nation’s premier Latino advocacy organizations), Hispanic Business Magazine, and Bank of America's Neighborhood Builder awards.

Programs and Services

With the assistance of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, Congreso has recently begun to implement a new model of service delivery that provides integrated case management to connect individual clients to the multiple services they may need. This approach is based both in Congreso’s 30 years of experience as well as evidence-based research, which demonstrates that if youth are able to connect to positive education and employment opportunities at an early age, then they are more likely to have a successful transition to adulthood. This targeted approach enables youth to ‘become healthy and self-sufficient, focus on their educational goals, and give them a safe and supportive setting in which they can thrive” says Congreso President Nicholas Torres. This new model of service delivery draws from Congreso’s numerous programs which focus on providing education, employment, and supportive services to youth and their families.

In addition to the integrated client management model, Congreso has also identified education and employment as pillars of services which are key to transforming the lives of individuals.

The focus of the education pillar is to encourage youth to graduate from high school and to complete at least two years of post-secondary education. To this end, Congreso provides, among other services, after-school mentoring and tutoring opportunities, and life skills classes for the avoidance of risky activities like gangs and drugs.

Congreso’s workforce development (employment) pillar provides youth and adults with the opportunity to achieve economic stability and self sufficiency through job training and retention services. These programs also offer participants the opportunity to achieve their educational goals, secure a family-sustaining wage, and advance their careers.

Recognizing that individuals need various supportive services to ensure their success in employment and education goals, Congreso also provides various health and supportive services. Healthy families and community support are critical to ensure that youth make a successful transition to adulthood. Therefore, Congreso’s supportive services primarily focus on strengthening family bonds and bolstering the health and wellness of individuals within the community. Its family programs focus on promoting and sustaining family stability through a range of targeted services for families with ‘at-risk’ youth. This includes helping parents keep their teens in school and away from violent behavior. Other services include counseling on housing issues, financial literacy, and parenting skills. Congreso’s health programs address issues that threaten their clients’ physical and emotional health by providing services for substance abuse, asthma, family planning, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS.

Congreso, Looking Ahead

Congreso has come a long way since 1977, impacting the lives of thousands of Latinos in the Philadelphia area. A recent $5.5 million investment from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation will enable the organization to further expand and improve its services to the Latino community.

To that end, Congreso is implementing an organization-wide evaluation and performance tracking system that will allow it to monitor the progress of its constituents and make improvements where necessary. This increased focus on evaluation and research will help the organization position itself as what Torres calls an “institution of positive change.” He continues, “We aim to become a stronger advocate and leader for the Latino community by influencing policies that truly educate and empower low-income residents of North Philadelphia. We want to set an example for others seeking to create positive change within their own communities.”