Youth Enrichment Programs
Youth Enrichment and Counseling Program
THC’s Youth Enrichment and Counseling Program offer services to the children and youth of THC’s transitional and permanent supportive housing clients.
Assessment
THC’s Family Services Coordinator and caseworkers conduct an assessment process for each child in THC’s programs to determine the level of need and type of counseling for each child. For those children with indications of a serious educational or academic need, an educational assessment is conducted pro bono by an educational consultant.
Counseling and therapy services
THC program staff and consultants provide counseling, therapy and other clinical services to all residents, both adults and youth. Individual one-on-one psycho-social assessments lead to a tailored individual plan for counseling, group sessions and family counseling as needed. Therapy sessions use games, videos, and play as well as talk therapy, to allow the children to express themselves and deal with their feelings, especially anxiety, loneliness, anger, betrayal and abandonment.
Substance abuse prevention
A regular substance abuse prevention program for the children has been developed and groups arranged according to age meet monthly. Because of their exposure to substance abuse in their own families and because of their early experiences and the hurt and pain caused by their reactions to homelessness, they are at high risk for substance abuse in their own lives. The substance abuse prevention program is age appropriate with several groups being formed. Separate groups are established for high school, middle school and elementary students.
Youth enrichment activities
THC also provides an expanded schedule of activities for the children at our three transitional housing sites such as the Partner Arms Reading Club, the Garden Club, game nights, outside play, and other evening educational enrichment activities. The youth enrichment activities also provide an important service to THC’s required supportive services program because they are purposely scheduled to be concurrent with mandatory adult meetings such as the monthly Tenant Council and the weekly substance abuse counseling meetings. Youth activities are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening, once a week at each transitional housing site.
Monthly trips to museums, plays and performances, historical sites and fun experiences, also take place. These experiences help children to bond with their parents and to make friendships and help to build community and camaraderie among the THC residents. The use of volunteers, especially young adults from local colleges, provides appropriate role models, especially for the boys who often have no male role models in their lives.
Client Involvement
THC staff solicits feedback on program services and building operations via the Partner Arms Tenant Councils. Chaired by Partner Arms residents who are elected by fellow residents, the Councils are a means for residents to participate directly in the development and evaluation of program services, to give input into new program development and to build resident awareness around the care of community spaces in the buildings. Tenant Councils meet monthly and produce a quarterly newsletter featuring family updates, new program and educational opportunities and residents’ poems and stories.
