Youth and Child Development
Goal: To prepare and support children and youth to be school ready, to be productive learners, and to be engaged in their community by promoting their personal, emotional and behavioral development.
NSUW recognizes there are a broad range of community and school-based programs which further this goal. In all cases, NSUW believes that effective youth and child development programs are those that are age-appropriate, implemented by screened and trained adults, evaluated regularly, improved continuously and conducted in safe environments. These may include student assistance programs (SAPs), licensed child and after-school care, community centers, mentoring programs, and others.
Student Assistance Programs
Strategy: Support public school-based programs for middle and high school youth addressing individual behavioral and emotional issues, including substance abuse prevention, bullying and suicide prevention, among others, while engaging parents and school personnel as partners in this endeavor.
Child and After School Care Programs
Strategy: Increase accessibility to quality year-round, licensed day and after-school care programs for children of low-income families.
Community – Teen Centers
Strategy: Improve accessibility to staffed community centers for teens and latency aged youth, including age appropriate physical and cognitive activities, peer leadership programs, and community service opportunities.
Mentoring Programs
Strategy: To provide adult supports to “at risk” youth to help develop self esteem and learn positive behaviors through trusting relationships.