youth center
Youth Community Service Coordinator
Organization:
Parsells Ave. Community Church VISTA Name:
Doreen Young
Program Start:
1/2007
Program End:
7/2009
Project Description:
VISTA Objectives to be Addressed:
Objective 1: To engage neighborhood young people in positive youth development and community service activities.
The project’s primary emphasis is on educational enrichment of youth in the 3rd – 8th grades that will lead to success in middle and high school years. This will be done in a four day per week after school program. Individualized basic skill tasks will be practiced daily, followed by enriching group learning activities chosen by students. A three day a week open lab will be available to other youth and adults who wish to use computers. Those who show leadership interests and technology abilities will be trained as computer lab assistants to help other youth access machines and software as well as help take care of the lab.
Objective 2: To provide children and youth with prevention and intervention services.
As a part of a larger neighborhood consortium the members will receive children and youth who enter the Center feeling unsafe and help them reach their family or other authorities for assistance.
Objective 3: To recruit and utilize community volunteers to expand and enhance services at AmeriCorps host sites and other organizations addressing community needs in the above areas.
AmeriCorps members will recruit tutors, group coaches and other volunteers for scheduled programs, open labs and lab technical help from many sources. They will use the media, including neighborhood outlets, church-related newsletters and bulletins, to inform the public of opportunities to serve. They will also make presentations at churches and other venues to recruit, and will provide follow-up and coordination of volunteers who are either committed or exploring the possibility of joining the Center lab staff. They will also use various occasions to recognize the work of the volunteers, including letters of thanks, recognition parties, and small tokens of appreciation.
Project Outcome:
Doreen attends collaborative meetings at Baden Street Center, Monroe County Youth Bureau, and Webster Recreation Center on a regular basis. She participates in their dance programs (Partner with Dazzle Theatre) and sports and health programs. She was instrumental in having 15 students participate in a filmmakers project, a collaboration between youth organizations, agencies, churches, WXXI, University of Rochester, and Road To Success. Youth were given an RCA video camera to shoot a 3 minute film. She instituted a case-management component to keep the participants/youth focused on their assignments/goals. She was able to recruit a significant number of volunteers over the period under review to repair computers, do etiquette training, and work on filmakers project.
Impact Quote:
“Our Church would not be able to financially support ongoing staffing of the Computer Technology Center. The VISTA member is competent and represents a vision and sustainable service to the community.”
- Doc. Peter Grinion, supervisor
Heart of Los Angeles Youth, Inc.
Website:
http://www.heartofla.org/ Location:
Los Angeles, CA
HOLA’s youth attend overburdened inner city schools, live in communities that are heavily impacted by illegal drug trafficking and gang violence and many children are hindered by poverty and immigration status.
VISION
Hundreds of underserved children are traveling across one end of a beautiful green park with backpacks and musical instruments or athletics gear, through families perched under trees on blankets reading a book or painting in the middle of this community campus while others play sports, on their way to another green building met by inspirational teachers, coaches, parents and mentors, everyone is coming together and sharing, everyone is learning.
One of LA’s best kept secrets started in a church gym and almost 20 years later has grown into a vibrant community oasis for thousands of inner-city youth. HOLA is a thriving center that serves the Rampart community with programs in academics, the arts and athletics. The organization is unique in the quality of instruction and individual attention it provides to youth ages 6 to 19.
HOLA’s campus, located in and around Lafayette Park, is a home away from home for hundreds of kids. They know that they will get the help they need from HOLA’s professional staff and highly talented volunteers. Through HOLA’s extensive volunteer program, the youth are exposed to a wide array of experts including artists, executives, chefs, athletes, engineers, and counselors who truly commit themselves to providing programs of the highest quality, giving kids the best chance to become successful in life.
Through HOLA’s unique partnership with the LA City Recreation and Parks Department, students living in poverty have much needed green space – a state of the art field turf soccer field, outdoor basketball courts, and a brand new gym that is currently under construction.* Best of all, these facilities are safe spaces, open year round, truly offering the youth of the community an alternative to hanging out on the streets.