Center for RENEW Implementation

Creating Hope, Building Futures, Changing Lives

Resilience, Empowerment, and Natural supports for Education and Work (RENEW) is a structured school-to-career transition planning and individualized wraparound process for youth who may be experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges, have a limited social support system, and need to figure out where they are headed. The model focuses on supporting each youth to recognize their own strengths, explore what interests them, and to design and pursue a plan for their transition to adult life. RENEW has substantially increased the high school completion, employment, and post-secondary education participation rates among youth. Developed in 1996 by staff at the Institute on Disability (IOD), RENEW is provided by schools, community mental health centers, community-based providers, residential treatment facilities, and IOD staff members to youth.