Project Rise is an implementation-ready, sexual risk avoidance education (SRAE) program targeting nine, majority-Latino neighborhoods of Los Angeles County that have teen birth rates far above state and national averages: El Sereno, Compton, East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, South Los Angeles, South Pomona, Long Beach and Central Santa Ana. Under the joint leadership of TELACU as project director/grantee/financial manager and Urban Strategies as day-to-day project manager, community- and faith-based organizations are serving as implementation partners.

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Project Rise aims to enroll 2,000 youth participants (ages 12-18) in relationship classes that will teach teens how to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, recognize the difference between attraction and love, and set future goals, while evaluating whether their relationships will help them or hold them back from achieving their dreams. The Youth Advocates at each site will deliver the Relationship Smarts Plus SRA curriculum in settings that are familiar and comfortable for youth and their families.