Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance Mission
The mission of Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance is to strengthen youth and families and to reduce the incidence of delinquency, abuse, and neglect through community involvement.
History
Youth Assistance began in 1953 with a group of Hazel Park citizens and Juvenile Court Judge Arthur Moore. Together they developed a program to assist troubled youth within their own communities rather than referring them to Juvenile Court. The Y.A. Program has expanded over the years and is now a unit of the Oakland County Circuit Court – Family Division with 26 offices throughout Oakland County. Caseworkers are available in each school district to provide counseling services to youth and their families. These programs exist due to a unique tri-sponsorship with the local government, the local school district, and the Oakland County Circuit Court – Family Division.
All Y.A. counseling and referral services are offered to Oakland County residents free of charge. The participation of youth and their family is voluntary and confidential. Although the program is sponsored by the courts, there is no judicial or legal action.
Program Structure
Youth Assistance programs are community-based, and developed by volunteers who live and/or work in the communities in which they serve. The Circuit Court provides the professional staff to work with the volunteers and to provide direct casework services. Each local Youth Assistance program operates under the sponsorship and financial support of its local school district, the municipalities therein, and the Probate Court/Circuit Court-Family Division. Additional funding is obtained through grants, donations, and local fund-raising efforts.
The Oakland County Youth Assistance Coordinating Council, Inc. provides advice, consultation, and support to the Central Office and to the local Youth Assistance Boards. The Council provides training for local officers and coordinates county-wide events. It seeks and distributes grant monies to the local Boards, and produces the Youth Assistance newsletter.
Services
Casework Services
Youth Assistance provides free, confidential, short-term, family-centered counseling and referral services for young people, 16 years of age of younger and their families, who live or attend school in Oakland County.
Family Education
Youth Assistance offers a variety of programs all aimed at improving communication between parents and their children, understanding child development, and enhancing parenting skills.
Mentor's Plus
Adult volunteers are matched with a youngster, age 5 to 16, on a one-to-one mentoring basis.
Youth Recognition
Young people are recognized for making positive, volunteer contributions to their communities.
Camp
Camp scholarships are provided to young people who are in need of either a day camp or overnight experience.
Skill Building
Youth Assistance provides scholarships to youth who would benefit from a positive learning experience, designed to enhance their self-esteem, and a specific skill such as math and reading tutorial, dance, voice, musical instrument or art lessons.