Youth Service Bureau Of St Joseph County Inc

TO EMPOWER YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO RECOGNIZE THEIR STRENGTHS AND UNLIMITED POTENTIAL. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE STREET-LEVEL OUTREACH,SHELTER, COUNSELING, AND CASE MANAGEMENT.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROVIDES COUNSELING AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-14 IN THE PENN-HARRIS-MADISON SCHOOL CORPORATION AND THROUGH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. WE HELP CHILDREN IMPROVE THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS BY CLARIFYING VALUES, PROMOTING POSITIVE SELF-IMAGES, AND BY TEACHING COMMUNICATION, COPING, DECISION-MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS. 3,601 YOUTH RECEIVED SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT/LIFE SKILLS CLASSROOM TRAINING/ABUSE PREVENTION LESSONS. 531 YOUTH WERE ENROLLED, 196 STATE MANDATED ABUSE PREVENTIONS LESSONS WERE TAUGHT, 8,312 INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS WERE PROVIDED ALONG WITH 835 CRISIS' RESPONDED TO WITH 1,116 YOUTH, AS WELL AS 275 SMALL GROUP SESSIONS HELD WITH 108 YOUTH.

SAFE STATION IS A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH AGES 12-18. SAFE STATION PROVIDED 98 YOUTH WITH SAFE SHELTER. 21 YOUTH HAS MORE THAN ONE VISIT. AN ADITIONAL 54 YOUTH RECEIVED BREIF SERVICES - WERE IN THE SHELTER FOR LESS THAN 6 HOURS BUT HAD MEDIATION WITH THE THERAPIST AND OBTAINED SHELTER WITH A RELATIVE OR WERE REFERRED FOR OTHER SERVICES. 831 VOLUNTEER HOURS WERE DONATED TO THIS PROGRAM, THE VALUE OF WHICH IS NOT REPORTED IN THIS RETURN.

PORCH LIGHT MATERNITY GROUP HOME PROGRAM PROVIDES APARTMENT-BASED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TO MOTHERS AGES 18-21 WHO ARE PREGNANT OR PARENTING UP TO TWO CHILDREN. YOUTH ARE PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT, THERAPY, AND LIFE SKILLS TRAINING NEEDED TO OBTAIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY. SIX CLIENTS PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR AND FIVE OF THEM (83%) WERE EMPLOYED OR GAINED EMPLOYMENT AFTER ENTERING THE PROGRAM.

YOUNG MOMS SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG MOTHERS TO OVERCOME THE MANY AND COMPLEX BARRIERS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND DECREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT. IT ASSISTS WOMEN AGED 16-24 TO IDENTIFY REALISTIC ACADEMIC AND EMPLOYMENT GOALS, IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND NUTRITION OF FAMILY MEMBERS, INCREASE A PERSONAL SENSE OF COMPETENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM, AND FOSTER A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FATHERS AND CHILDREN. 150 FAMILIES/MOTHERS WERE SERVED, OF WHOM 88% WERE EDUCATED ON THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AGE-APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINE, AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT STAGES. 90% RECEIVED EDUCATION ON FINANCIAL LITERACY. TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM PROVIDES APARTMENT-BASED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING TO NON-PARENTING MALES AND FEMALES AGES 18-21 WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT-RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. YOUTH ARE PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT, THERAPY, AND LIFE SKILLS TRAINING NEEDED TO OBTAIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY. EIGHT TO TWELVE INDIVIDUALS ARE ASSISTED IN THIS PROGRAM DURING AN 18 MONTH SPAN. HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES QUICKLY EXIT HOMELESSNESS AND RETURN TO PERMANENT HOUSING. CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES MAY BE PROVIDED ALONG WITH UTILITY AND MOVING EXPENSES.