You Inc.
Address: 81 Plantation St., Worcester, MA 01604
Phone: 508-849-5600
Fax: 508-849-5617
Website: www.youinc.org
Number of employees: 550
Product or service: Programs for at-risk youth and families
Top Executive: Maurice J. Boisvert, President and CEO
Year founded: 1970
Investing in youth and families yields high returns
For 35 years, at-risk children, adolescents and families in Worcester County have been able to turn to one reliable, sympathetic resource for help: Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. (Y.O.U., Inc.)
The nonprofit organization began as an arm of the Worcester Juvenile Court through a community effort to provide court diversion and prevention services to troubled adolescents. Over the years, Y.O.U., Inc. has remained true to its mission of providing opportunities for people to become contributing members of society, while expanding and diversifying services to meet ever-changing community needs.
Today, the agency offers more than 30 different programs within five sectors: outpatient services, community-based, residential, education, and managed care.
Last year, Y.O.U., Inc. provided services for more than 8,000 clients.
The organization’s programs focus on prevention and rehabilitation of troubled youth and their families, from those living in high-crime neighborhoods to upper-income suburbanites.
"Any family at any time can have issues beyond their level of comprehension and experience," says Maurice Boisvert, President and CEO. "Families and kids who need help could be your neighbors or your co-workers."
Y.O.U., Inc.’s community-based services provide an impressive array of innovative programs that respond to the needs of troubled youth and their families. Among these efforts: mentoring, after-school programs, substance abuse programs, counseling services and treatment programs geared towards specific behavior problems. All are designed to help families in crisis. Advocacy for the well being of families also is an essential part of this work.
More than 600 children and teens lived in one of Y.O.U., Inc.’s residential programs last year. These programs are designed for different ages with distinctive problems and needs. Cottage Hill Academy, for example, combines education and clinical services with life skills and recreation for challenged teenage girls. The Joy and Robert Wetzel Children’s Center is an effective alternative to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization for children from 7 to 18.
Two residences provide homeless teen mothers with parenting and life skills and another cares for young children. In all its short-term and long-term residential programs, Y.O.U., Inc. provided extensive care and structure. Among the organization’s prime beliefs: every child needs positive, long-lasting relationships with nurturing adults, and that a family environment is essential for every child. Therefore, most programs are designed to help return youth to a family setting.
Education and training services include: GED, special education, alternative therapeutic programs, and pre-employment support for dropouts. There’s even a scholars program for low-income high school students - many of whom are the first in their family to go on to higher education — with good potential to succeed in college.
Small class size, individual instruction, therapeutic milieu, a behavior management approach and positive teacher-student relationships allow students with histories of school failure to succeed.
Among other programs, outpatient-counseling centers in Worcester, Southbridge and Gardner serve as licensed mental health and substance abuse clinics. They provide individual, family and group psychotherapy, as well as diagnostic testing, medical evaluation, consultation, training and psycho-educational services.
Partnerships with other community-based organizations and social service providers also contribute to Y.O.U., Inc.’s success. The organization was recently named the Central Massachusetts lead agency for two innovative Department of Social Services initiatives using a managed care approach to residential and community-based services for high-risk youth and families.
"The services we provide benefit the entire community," Boisvert says. "From a business perspective, Y.O.U., Inc. is a long-term, high yield investment."
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments