The Tepeyac Association offers programmes that are designed to meet the needs and improve the lives of the Mexican immigrant population in New York City. Many of these programmes focus on increasing knowledge, building capacity, and raising rights-based awareness. For example, the Association offers computer classes to Mexican and other Spanish-speaking immigrants. Classes are intended to provide students with basic computer skills, which can be used to seek better job opportunities. In addition, Tepeyac provides English classes at all levels to both its members and people from the community. These classes focus on developing leadership and organising skills in addition to English competency. Volunteer English teachers use participatory teaching methods in the classes, which are also a component of the World Trade Center Unemployed Program (a programme that aims to provide work for those who lost their jobs as a result of the events of September 11 2001). Finally, the after-school programme "Finding Our Roots" offers support to young students in academics (many children's parents do not speak English and thus cannot help with homework), artistic pursuits (Mexican boys and girls get to know the roots of their parents' country and strengthen their cultural identity through the study of Mexican history, the folkloric ballet, and manual arts), and sports.

In fact, young people are the focus of many Tepeyac programmes. Youth-related programmes feature activities that are of particular interest to this population. For example, in 1998 a donor provided funds to enable 21 adolescent boys, some of whom were involved in gangs, to participate in a soccer summer camp. The programme's goal was to offer an alternative to gang life by providing an arena to channel participants' energy. The programme provided funds for the boys to be employed as promoters of Tepeyac's fundraising event, Feria del Sol. As part of a pilot project that grew out of this summer experience, Association staff members and local leaders worked to developed positive relationships with gang members. In order to provide the youth with a safe environment, they then petitioned a local parish to open its basement on Friday evenings. Here, workshops are held that focus on topics proposed by youth, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the juvenile detention system, conflict resolution techniques, and communication skills. Association staff and local committee members run the workshops, provide counseling, and intervene on the young people's behalf if they have trouble with the authorities.

A permanent Soccer School grew out of these youth-oriented projects. Boys and girls of all nationalities and races are invited to participate in the 12-week camp, which aims to occupy youth in activities that will prevent their involvement in illegal activities. Other goals including encouraging youth to develop self-discipline, make physical exercise a habit, and initiate healthy friendships. Some participants, organisers hope, may eventually become sports coaches or skilled players with a chance to obtain sports scholarships for university study. Organisers encourage parents to get involved with their children's practices and games; soccer, as this strategy holds, may become a tool for strengthening parent-child relationships and fostering parents' involvement in other programmes that improve their own education and development. In the summer, the league champions will travel to Mexico with the help of parent volunteers.

Tepeyac also offers what it calls "Urgent Services" in the areas of immigration, labour, counseling, and family advocacy. For example, members of the Association offer workshops to undocumented immigrants to inform them of their rights in case they are detained. If detained, immigrants can call collect to the Association to request assistance and information about the services and shelters available to them. Whenever there are new laws or regulations that affect immigrants or permit them to legalise their migratory status, informational workshops and assistance in filing applications for change of status are offered. Ongoing advocacy efforts are pursued as part of a campaign that seeks permanent residency for all undocumented immigrants, called General Unconditional Amnesty, which seeks permanent residency for all undocumented immigrants. In addition, members of the Tepeyac Association's Commission on Labor Rights meet once a month to learn about the process and necessary paperwork to defend the labour rights of undocumented immigrants. The Association offers services to undocumented workers for 2 hours each weekday morning. They put pressure on employers and, if necessary organise demonstrations or boycotts.

Rights, Youth, Education, Economic Development.

According to organisers, among all of the undocumented immigrants in the United States, Mexicans have the disadvantage of being from the neighbouring nation and for this reason are sought and hired when cheap and plentiful labour is needed and expelled when there is a labour surplus. In addition, organisers claim that, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) detains Mexicans in disproportionate numbers as part of an effort to justify INS's purpose and budget. Between 1998 and 1999, organisers say, 84% of those detained and deported in the sweeps carried out by the INS in New York City-area factories were Mexicans.

Many immigrant workers, organisers say, think that because they are undocumented they do not have labour rights in the United States. They do not know that the Department of Labor defends their rights as workers regardless of their migratory status. For example, they do not realise that the first 40 hours of work in a week are paid at their normal wage and that any additional hours must be paid at a rate of 1.5 times their normal hourly wage. Thus, they do not challenge employers who require that they work 70-80 hours a week while paying them for 40 hours or less.

Organisers explain their focus on youth as follows. Of the 306,000 Mexican immigrants in New York City, approximately 50% are between the ages of 12-24. Most migrate to the United States as a result of the extreme poverty in Mexico and leave their families behind to provide for them. Along with their loneliness, many put in long hours to support themselves. Many turn to gangs and substance abuse in order to find support in an environment where day-to-day survival can be difficult. Treatment centres require some kind of documentation indicating legal residency, which makes it a challenge for some of these youth to get help.