Washington County Youth Service Bureau And Boys & Girls Club

THE BUREAUS MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A WIDE RANGE OF INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS THAT EMPOWER AND ENRICH THE LIVES OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, AND TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT TO OTHER YOUTH PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT VERMONT. THE BUREAU'S PHILOSOPHY IS ONE THAT RESPECTS YOUNG PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGES EACH ONE TO FIND AND BUILD ON THEIR STRENGTHS AND UNIQUE GIFTS. USING A POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT APPROACH, OUR DEDICATED STAFF WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTH TO IDENTIFY THE DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORTS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROMOTE SUCCESS, RATHER THAN ON ELIMINATING THE FACTORS THAT PROMOTE FAILURE.

THE BUREAU OFFERS SEVERAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. THE TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM (TLP) HELPS YOUTHS AGES 16-21 WHO ARE HOMELESS MAKE THE TRANSITION TO SECURE AND HEALTHY LIVING SITUATIONS. TLP IS AVAILABLE TO YOUTHS WHO CANNOT LIVE AT HOME AND HAVE NO OTHER SAFE LIVING ALTERNATIVES AND INCLUDES LONG- TERM HOUSING, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, ADVOCACY AND EMPLOYMENT COUNSELING. THE BASIC CENTER PROGRAM PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER TO RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH AND WORKS TO REUNITE RUNAWAYS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND TO HELP RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. RETURN HOUSE IS THE BUREAUS PROGRAM FOR 18-22 YEAR OLD YOUNG MEN WHO ARE RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY AFTER BEING INCARCERATED. THE 6 TO 12 MONTH PROGRAM BEGINS BEFORE PARTICIPANTS ARE RELEASED FROM JAIL, PROVIDES 24-HOUR SUPPORT TO ACCOMPANY THEM THROUGH THEIR RE-ENTRY, AND PROVIDES AFTERCARE SERVICES FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM. THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (YDP) OFFERS VOLUNTARY CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO YOUTH AGES 15-22, WHO ARE, OR HAVE BEEN, IN THE CUSTODY OF THE STATE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (DCF). YDP PROVIDES ACCESS TO A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES DESIGNED TO HELP YOUTH TRANSITION FROM STATE CUSTODY AND CARE TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND INDEPENDENT LIVING. AVAILABLE SERVICES ARE YOUTH-DRIVEN AND FOCUS ON SUPPORT PARTICIPANTS IN SETTING PERSONAL GOALS, IDENTIFYING STEPS, REMOVING BARRIERS, AND EXPANDING NATURAL SUPPORT NETWORKS. YDP PROVIDES LIFE SKILLS ASSESSMENT, TRAINING AND COACHING, REFERRALS TO OTHER SERVICES INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING, ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION PLANNING AND LINKAGE TO EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION/GED PREP AND OR COLLEGE PREPARATION, VOCATIONAL SUPPORT AND TRAINING, ASSISTANCE IN EXPLORING AND CONNECTING WITH KINSHIP NETWORKS AND OTHER SOCIAL SUPPORTS, AND SAFE HOUSING OPTIONS. THE BUREAU SERVES AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY FOR VCRHYP, THE VERMONT COALITION OF RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH PROGRAMS, MAINTAINING BOTTOM LINE FISCAL AND PROGRAMMATIC RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE PROGRAMS. VCRHYP STAFF ARE EMPLOYED BY THE BUREAU AND PROVIDE MEMBER PROGRAMS WITH PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION, FUNDRAISING, PUBLIC EDUCATION, TRAINING, DATA, MAINTENANCE AND ANALYSIS, ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICAID MATCHING FUNDS, AND REPRESENTATION ON STATE AND NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARDS. THE VCRHYP LEADERSHIP ALSO WORKS TO ENSURE THAT THE COALITION REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING BEST PRACTICE APPROACHES TO YOUTH WORK.

THE BUREAU PROVIDES SEVERAL COUNSELING PROGRAMS. THE HEALTHY YOUTH PROGRAM (HYP) PROVIDES SUBSTANCE ABUSE EDUCATION, PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND TREATMENT THAT IS GEARED SPECIFICALLY TO THE NEEDS OF ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 12 TO 25 YEARS OLD. THE COUNTRY ROADS PROGRAM PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING, FAMILY MEDIATION, 24-HOUR CRISIS INTERVENTION, AND TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR YOUTH WHO ARE IN CRISIS. COUNTRY ROADS BEGAN IN 1976 AND HAS BEEN A CORE SERVICE OF THE YSB FOR OVER 40 YEARS.

THE BUREAU'S PREVENTION PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE VERMONT YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CORPS(VYDC) AND THE TEEN CENTERS. VYDC IS A STATEWIDE AMERICORPS PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH A NETWORK OF YOUTH SERVICE AGENCIES TO INCREASE POSITIVE, SKILL BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THE BASEMENT TEEN CENTER IS A SUBSTANCE FREE ADULT SUPERVISED SPACE FOR TEENS TO GATHER, ATTEND WORKSHOPS, AND LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

THE BUREAU ALSO OFFERS SCHOOL RELATED PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE ACTIVITIES THAT ENHANCE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, PREVENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND ALLOW FOR HEALTHY CHOICES. THE VERMONT YOUTH TOMORROW PROGRAM PLACES VISTA MEMBERS ON YOUTH PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT VERMONT.