What is Project Build?

• Project BUILD is a youth development/gang prevention program based in the Durham, NC. The program is funded by Durham County, the City of Durham, and the state of North Carolina.
• Project BUILD’s serves Durham County youth and young adults between the ages of 14-21 who are at high risk of gang involvement.
• Project BUILD uses the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model, an evidence-based model for gang intervention.

What Services does Project Build Provide?

•  Every participant in the program has an assigned outreach worker. This intervention specialist will meet with the participant 2-3 times per week to provide support and behavioral coaching. These visits may be conducted at home, school, or at community activities.
• Project BUILD personnel will also make regular contact with parents of minors to share information about issues related to your child, available services and activities and assist with problems. Project BUILD personnel help families access appropriate services, including educational, criminal justice, social services, and employment.
• Project BUILD provides weekly group sessions on Tuesday evenings from 5-7 p.m. Dinner is provided. These group sessions are focused on developing improved social, thinking, and life skills. Youth learn about a variety of topics, from learning to
  cook learning about science/technology and getting/keeping a job and working through life issues.
• Project BUILD also offers special activities during school breaks and holidays, such as pre-employment training, a camp program during the winter break and a summer camp. These activities are not mandatory, and participation is based upon displaying appropriate behavior and following program rules. In the case of demonstrated hardship, Project BUILD personnel may be able to provide transportation so youth can participate in group sessions and other activities. However, transportation cannot be provided without a transportation authorization signed by the parent/guardian.
• Project BUILD is an open entry/open exit program. This means we will start working with you as soon as you consent for us to provide services. The minimum length of services for satisfactory completion for the juvenile or adult court is 16 weeks
  for 24 hours of direct services. However, participants can stay in the program for longer periods of time based on need and desire.
• Project BUILD is a no-fee program. Our activities do not cost money. We are not a Medicaid-based program, so having your child participate in Project BUILD will not conflict with any Medicaid-based services. If you are receiving mental health
  services, we will coordinate with those services if possible.

Program Rules and Expectations

• We take the safety of the youth we serve and our staff members seriously. For that reason, the following items are strictly
  prohibited during Project BUILD activities and group sessions:
  • Weapons of any kind
  • Gang clothing or paraphernalia
  • Tobacco products (and lighters), alcoholic beverages, or controlled substances (illegal drugs, prescription drugs, over the counter medications)

• Project BUILD participants are not allowed to engage in physical horseplay or confrontations.
• In the event that a participant brings prohibited items into our facility or physically attacks another participant, we will impose consequences that may include: prohibiting that individual from participating in future activities, contacting and/or meeting with parents, and contacting court counselors (if applicable). In any instance involving a weapon, possession of an illegal drug, or the physical assault on another youth, we will contact law enforcement immediately.
• Project BUILD participants are not allowed to verbally demean or harass any other participant in the program.
• Project BUILD participants are expected to follow school dress codes for appropriate attire. Youth who violate our dress code may be given alternative attire (a t-shirt) or we may contact parents.
• Project BUILD participants are expected to follow staff instructions at all times, and to be respectful of other participants, staff members, and themselves.
• Project BUILD participants are not allowed to participate in any group session or activity while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any other substance. If we suspect that your child has ingested one of these substances, we will contact you and ask you to pick up your child immediately.
• Project BUILD participants are not allowed to leave our premises until picked up by a parent/guardian or transported home by a Project BUILD staff member.  

Court Ordered Participants

• We do not serve minor age court-ordered participants without the consent and authorization of the parent/guardian. If you do not want your child to participate in Project BUILD, we will notify the assigned court counselor so that they can reassign you to a different service provider.
• Court ordered participants who violate program rules should be aware that we will contact their assigned court counselor sand report any negative, anti-social behavior while on our premises or involved in Project BUILD activities.

Project Build Participant Rights

1. Each Project BUILD participant, and his/her parent or guardian is entitled to the following rights:
2. The right to appropriate and quality services.
3. The right to humane treatment free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
4. The right to dignity and personal privacy.
5. The right to give informed consent or refuse services.
   1. If under court order and services are refused, the program is obligated to       report refusal of services to the court counselor, probation or parole officer, or judge, as appropriate.
6. The right to protection of confidentiality of personal identifiable information and/or information of services rendered, except as needed for case management purposes by Project BUILD’s Multidisciplinary Intervention Team (MDT) or in the case of a reasonable concern related to abuse, neglect, retaliation, gang-related violence, or other safety issue. No personal information about participants will be disclosed to any other agency without a signed consent for release of confidential information between agencies serving on the Multidisciplinary Intervention Team (MDT), to agencies specifically identified on the consent form, and only for the purposes described herein and on that form.