Full Circle Theory of Change

Full Circle Mission is: Full Circle of Lake County, Inc. provides opportunities, skills and caring relationships to help Lake County become a place where youth make healthy choices, families thrive and the community is united.

The long term goal or destination of Full Circle programming is that Youth are Resilient.

Theory of Change:

The stated goal of Full Circle is: Youth are Resilient (safe, connected, and contributing) and are socially and emotionally healthy (free of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and violence).

The Purpose of Full Circle is: That youth are resilient, healthy and connected with opportunities, skills and caring relationships. Full Circle:

  • Strengthens families
  • Provides mentors
  • Facilitates out-of-school healthy activities
  • Teaches prevention and resiliency social/emotional skills and conflict resolution skills.

The preconditions to achieve this goal are:

Youth need caring positive relationships. Some families, particularly in Lake County are exhibiting an inability to provide these relationships as evidenced by high rates of alcohol and drug use and abuse, high rates of domestic violence and family conflict.[1]

There are a large number of families in Lake County that are also exhibiting family management problems that put their children at greater risk for problem behaviors (Hawkins & Catalano Risk and Protective Factors). Finally there are a large number of families who are experiencing the stress of acculturation from another culture and country and may not have the ability to provide positive role modeling for their children.

Youth and Families needthe skills necessary to avoid conflict/violence and substance abuse. Conflict resolution, Life Skills, substance abuse prevention and Parenting skills are all necessary to establish good social emotional functioning.

Opportunities are necessary to practice life skills and contribute to the community.

Opportunities to utilize existing and new facilities, recreation and experiences are important for families with limited financial resources to provide this for their children. Out of School Time activities allow youth and families to practice life skills (Self-awareness, self-management, social skills, relationship skills and decision-making). Activities also increase connectedness to nature and the community to promote positive bonding and motivation to contribute.

Full Circle Interventions:

YOUTH

Mentoring: An evidence-based program to increase bonding to pro-social adults and school attachment.

Outdoor Leadership: Outdoor experiential programs for 7th & 8th grade youth to increase Resilience through fun interactive activities in the local community.

Boys Council/Girls Circle: Evidence-based curriculum to increase Resilience and substance abuse prevention as well as social/emotional skills.

Reconnecting Youth: Model program curriculum to reduce substance abuse and increase school attachment.

DUI Prevention: Out-of-School time suite of programs to increase social/emotional skills and provide prevention education.

Sexual Violence Prevention: Out-of-time suite of programs to increase Life Skills and increase healthy relationships. Includes use of Safe Dates curriculum.

FAMILIES

Parent Education: DARE to Be You (model program NREPP),and Active Parenting (model program NREPP) are offered to 40-50 parents per year and their children to increase family management and parent-child bonding.

Empowerment: To increase support for acculturating mothers and create a safe environment to develop leadership and advocacy skills.

COMMUNITY

Family Leadership Training Institute: 20 week curriculum to increase parent advocacy and civic engagement in order to decrease health inequities.

Restorative Justice: A practice to decrease conflict by accepting responsibility, repairing the harm done and restoring the relationship with the community.

Full Circle accomplishes this through a variety of research-based programs developmentally appropriate for all age groups. The logic model for Full Circle includes three goals:

  1. Reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug use
  2. Decrease violence among youth
  3. Increase protective factors using a positive youth development strategy.

Programs include: Mentoring, Leadership, After-school/summer prevention programs, DUI prevention, Sexual Violence Prevention, Girls Circle/Boys Council, Post-secondary school enrollment support, Parent Education and Health Equity.

Positive Youth Development outcomes mean that youth are: Well Educated, Safe, Connected, Contributing, and Physically and Mentally Healthy. Full Circle indicators measure Connection, Contribution, Safety and Healthy (attitudes and beliefs).[2]

[1] Lake County Risk Assessment 2013, updated 2015

[2] Retrieved 9/24/2013