The Youth Project is an innovative, school-linked, nonprofit organization assisting teens (12-18) with issues they face on a daily basis such as depression, suicide, substance abuse, pregnancy, bullying, peer pressure, domestic violence, sexual assault, neglect, divorce, blended families, motivation, goal setting, study skills, self-harm, healthy relationships, sexual identity, truancy, etc. Nothing is off limits.
Teenage Grief Group
The Teenage Grief Group works with students that have suffered a loss of a loved one to help them manage and cope with their grief and healing.
Life Skills Group
The goal of this group is to prepare students for the transition to living independently and covers such topics as moving from the family home, finances, college, career goals, time management and other necessary life skills.
Pregnant & Parenting Teen Group
This group focuses on girls (and/or their partners) who are either currently pregnant or have already given birth. The group will help with balancing the role of being a parent as well as student, parenting skills, time management, stress management, college/career options and methods to reduce the occurrence of subsequent teenage pregnancies.
Conflict Resolution Group
The goal of this group is to give students the skills they need to effectively and positively deal with conflict in their lives; anger management, communication, listening and respect are key topics.
Drug and Alcohol Education and Support Group
This group presents up to date information on current drug trends, how to identify drug use as problematic, the dangers of experimentation and available programs to assist young people who are experimenting or are dealing with addiction and sobriety.
This group is designed to help students improve their focus in school/class by discussing obstacles, studying habits, goals, vision for future, etc. We often discover that outside influences impact a student’s ability to learn; during group we offer tools to aid with prioritization, balance, and time management.
This is a co-ed, general teen issues group. Topics include goal setting, communication skills, positive decision making, anger management, healthy relationships, substance abuse, peer pressure and motivation.
This group is designed to be a safe space for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) students. Topics could include family dynamics, friendships, healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, self-esteem, bullying, discrimination, anger management, sexuality and decision making.
Familes In Transition
Our Families in Transition Group is very effective in helping students learn to live peacefully within their own family. This group focuses on issues surrounding a change in the family environment: divorce, blended families, etc. Teens will be given a chance to talk about family dynamics, roles in the home, healthy communication and how to cope with change and loss.
The focus of the Family Issues Group is similar to that of that of the Families in Transition but is not specific to families that are in transition. Discussion topics will include: how to live peacefully within your family, how to communicate effectively, respect, setting family specific goals and how to cope with family rules while developing a sense of independence.
This group deals specifically with the challenges that young men face today, including: peer pressure, dealing with emotions, respect, handling anger, family relationships, decision making, violence, safe sex and drugs and alcohol education.
This group is designed to guide and support young women through education and mentoring in order to empower them to make healthy lifestyle choices. Topics include relationships, body image, goal setting, decision making, cutting, internet safety, respect, anger management, safe sex, and drugs and alcohol education.
Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing environment where teens and their families are strengthened, empowered and equipped with the tools they need to live successful and healthy lives. We intervene early, offering unconditional acceptance and cost-free programming in order to mitigate the impacts on health and academic success associated with high-risk behavior, emotional and mental health.
Initially founded in January 2000 in response to a city-sponsored needs assessment of local youth, The Youth Project today serves over 25,000 students on 13 local junior high and high school campuses in the Santa Clarita Valley (North Los Angeles County). Services are available to all youth, though historically we have targeted and developed specialized programming for at-risk youth, low-income and uninsured youth, poor academic performers, bilingual (English as a Second Language) students and youth who are socially marginalized. Despite a local student body that is predominantly (60%) Caucasian, Latino/Spanish-speaking youth and families have traditionally received about half of our individual and group support services.
The following is a detailed description of the services The Youth Project provides throughout the school year. However, we are always willing to tailor a group, presentation or process to better accommodate the individual needs at each school.
Counselors provide free one-to-one, confidential support, as it relates to ANY issue (anger, grief, depression, abuse, school, family, etc.). Youth Project staff meet with students on campus, during the school day, on a weekly basis, offering non-judgmental support, providing tools for healthy communication and coping skills.
Staff has a strong presence on every campus and in the community. Programs like Teen 411, Game of Life, Lunchtime Madness, Classroom Presentations and the distribution of FRY Cards all improve communication and spread awareness. The HelpNotHassle.org website and social media (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) are additional resources for information, questions and as a means to communicate with families and other agencies.
Lunchtime Madness: An informal pizza party to help kids become more social on their campus. These groups are often geared towards students that are struggling to make friends, are new to a campus or as a way to bridge relationships between students in Special Ed with mainstream students.
Classroom Presentation: These presentations provide information that help students on all levels, including communication, life skills, college prep, goal setting, bullying, internet safety, cutting, gang issues, self-harm, healthy relationships, etc. We tailor presentations to fit the needs of each campus.
Teen 411: An outreach program available to junior high and high school students. Youth Project staff set up outreach tables in the quad during lunch and provide giveaways, information/referrals and invite to kids to participate in “awareness quizzes.” Monthly topics include suicide prevention, healthy relationships, domestic violence prevention, smoking awareness, HIV prevention, distracted driving prevention, healthy body image, nutrition, sexual assault awareness, child abuse prevention and mental health.
FRY Cards: A wallet size card, that lists all crisis numbers both nationally and locally, when presented to local McDonald’s students receive free fries)
WHO WE SERVE
The Youth Project is active on junior high and high school campuses within the William S. Hart District, located in Santa Clarita Valley.
Additional Support Programs
Sometimes sitting down and working out problems as a family can be difficult. Our staff is available to help families find solutions to their current circumstances and begin to understand each other’s point of view.
Students recommended for services are often referred by their school counselor, teachers or parents/guardians, or students can refer themselves (and friends) to the Youth Project. Our program is provided free of charge.
The Youth Project partners with other youth focused agencies to provide additional support and wrap around services.
Peer Mentors are available to respond to crisis calls, within a reasonable time frame, no matter what the issue. These types of calls usually involve suspicion of child abuse or neglect, suicidal thoughts or an agitated student that needs immediate attention.
PARENT EDUCATION & SUPPORT
It is our goal to expand our program to include parent education; our staff will provide parenting education and support services to parents. Topics include: communicating with your teen, drug & alcohol use, gang affiliation, how to help your child succeed in school and other relevant issues.
We can help students fill out job applications, write a resume, learn interview skills and provide support during the employment-seeking phase.
The Youth Project prides itself on creating a safe, non-judgmental and confidential setting in which students speak freely and can be assured that the stories they share remain private. However, all students are informed that we are a mandated reporting agency, meaning: if we have reasonable suspicion that a child (under the age of 18) has been mistreated, we are required to file a report with the necessary agencies.
We will report when a student shares information on:
Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Harm to Themselves, Sexual Abuse, Neglect, Harm to Others
All sessions are confidential. However, we are a mandated reporting agency and if a student expresses a desire to harm himself or others or if there is reason to suspect child abuse or neglect, we are obligated to report to the appropriate agency. ALL STUDENTS are reminded of this before every session.***