Transition Opportunities and Programs for Success (TOPS) targets high-risk Asian American and Pacific Islander Transitional Aged Youth (age 16-24). Many of these youth are monolingual and newly immigrated, with a long history of truancy, gang affiliation, and potentially low-level criminal activity. Rise Up connects these young adults with caring adults and peers, providing meaningful social, educational, employment, and financial opportunities, building individual strengths, making cultural awareness a priority, and encouraging life skills to ensure a productive future.

The program is split into two different cohorts: high school students and transitional age youth who are English language learners (ELL) attending City College. The program provides each participant with a personalized care plan, continuous services (mental health services, education, training, counseling, and recreation), and intense supervision to help them successfully transition into adulthood. CYC conducts qualitative and quantitative assessments to measure the results of these interventions.

As part of their personalized care plan, TOPS helps youth create individualized college and career goals, develop their resume and interview skills, tour colleges, and participate in job fairs, corporate tours, job readiness trainings, vocational trainings, and internships. TOPS also provides weekly Level-Up English Comprehensive workshops to help ELL students build their self-confidence in writing and public speaking. Workshop meetings are conducted in Cantonese and Mandarin to increase accessibility and foster a sense of belonging.

For more information, please contact 415-775-2636 or riseup@cycsf.org