Youth Support Program
The goal of the Youth Support Program (YSP) is to directly address the complex and diverse needs of youth in today’s rapidly changing society. YSP strongly believes in promoting the resiliency of youth by matching them with mentors, engaging them in meaningful activities, and exposing them to new opportunities and experiences. This is accomplished through mentoring, tutoring, cultural arts education, drama/theater, self-esteem classes, nutrition workshops, anger management strategies, mental health support, and goal setting. We work tirelessly to provide quality support to school administrators, the after-school program, 100 volunteer mentors, and over 100 middle school students and their families.
Description:
Located in South Berkeley, about six blocks away from UC Berkeley, Willard’s surrounding neighborhoods represent a drastic change from the serene college community. The neighborhoods surrounding Willard serve families who are largely affected by society’s social, economic, and environmental pressures. The absence of resources and lack of a strong support system has lead youth to develop a loss of motivation, low self-esteem and self-confidence, poor school attendance, academic failure, and involvement in high-risk behaviors. Many of these children are all too familiar with the perils of abuse, neglect, family dysfunction, violence, and substance abuse; and in many cases ‘check out’ to escape their reality.
YSP believes stable and consistent involvement can help guide a youth in the right direction. Therefore, YSP mentors spend time each week with their mentee to develop the skills necessary to succeed in and out of the classroom. They help develop and implement behavior plans, Individual Educational Plans (IEP), and Student Success Team (SST) Plans. They maintain ongoing consistent communication with teachers, counselors, parents/guardians, and other parties who have a vested interest in the well-being of their mentees. In order to build successful relationships, YSP’s mentors undergo a thorough screening process. Qualified mentors are identified based on skills, strengths, and interests. Once a mentor/mentee match is made, both parties commit to seeing each other consistently for a minimum of one year.
To support their growth and development, YSP mentors are given continued support at weekly training sessions designed to provide practical techniques on effective nonviolent communication, identifying signs of abuse, modeling positive behavior, effective boundary and goal setting, and how to support anger and time management. YSP staff is also on-site to provide ongoing assistance, coaching, and guidance in addressing any problems or concerns that may arise throughout the course of the relationship.
Ongoing group activities - field trips, cultural arts events, sporting events, study parties, and movie nights – also help strengthen the mentor/mentee relationship; and provide an avenue for mentors and mentees to build a solid sense of group cohesion. Semi-annual community service projects are held in order to sharpen skills in leadership, teamwork, and responsibility. Community service events also provide YSP staff, mentors, and mentees with an opportunity to have a positive impact in their community, address and meet relevant needs, and help our youth develop into more productive, confident individuals.
UC-Berkeley students are able to receive units towards graduation through this program. We encourage any Bay Area college students to contact us for more information. 510-644-6228 or by email at willardyouthsupport@berkeley.k12.ca.us
History:
Established in 1994, the Youth Support Program (YSP) is the result of a joint effort between the UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare, Cal Corps, Willard Middle School, and Bay Area Community Resources (BACR), a non-profit agency whose mission is to support the healthy development of individuals, families, and communities.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (510) 548-4219
Address:
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2425 Stuart StreetBerkeley, CA 94705(See a map) |
Web Site: http://youthsupportprogram.org
Directions:
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Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Ashby Bart,
Walk distance (in minutes): 13
Nearest Bus Stop: Berkeley 1 Line, 1 minute walk |
| Last updated on September 8, 2009 |
