News
Commemorating Child Abuse Awareness Month
On April 21, 2022, the Greater Waterbury Child Advocacy Center (CAC) planted 100 pinwheels at their headquarters at Waterbury Youth Services to raise awareness that April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and to remind residents that services are available for victims.
“The pinwheel is a national symbol of childhood,” says CAC Director Stacey Rubinfeld. “Each year, we review approximately 100 cases of alleged child abuse so we planted 100 pinwheels to honor each one. Every child deserves a great childhood. Unfortunately, they are sometimes exposed to extreme trauma like child abuse and neglect. Our goal is to support the healthy development of these children and to ensure they are not further victimized by the interventions and systems designed to protect them.”
The CAC team protects children in the Greater Waterbury area by responding to allegations of child sexual abuse, child physical abuse and serious neglect, as well as domestic minor sex trafficking. The CAC draws its strength from the combined knowledge of multiple disciplines brought by team members working co-operatively. Partners include: the states attorney’s office (both Adult and Juvenile), the Dept. of Children and Families, local police departments and State Troop A, trained medical personnel, mental health professionals, victim advocates from Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury and court-appointed by the Office of Victim Services, the Office of Juvenile and Adult Probation and Love 146.
If you have concerns or suspicions that a child is being abused, please call the Department of Children and Families hotline 1-800-842-2288 or your local police department.
The Greater Waterbury CAC is accredited as a Children’s Advocacy Center by the National Children’s Alliance. All forensic interviews and medical examinations are conducted free of charge.
To donate to the Waterbury CAC contact Stacey Rubinfeld srubinfeld@waterburyyouthservices.org or directly on our website.
Save the Date Trivia
Save the Date!
Trivia Night with former MLB Pitcher Rob Dibble
Waterbury Youth Services’ New Out-Of-School-Program
REBOOT
Waterbury Youth Services New Out-Of-School Suspension (OSS) Program
What is Reboot:
Reboot is a program for Waterbury Public Schools Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) Middle School Students. The program is facilitated in a safe, pro-social, pro-educational, positive youth development setting. The program also provides a chance for youth in out of school suspension to reboot in a structured environment.
Program is from 7:30am - 2:30pm
Pick up from 7am - 7:20am
Drop-Off is from 2:30pm - 3pm
Youth Will:
• Be provided with breakfast and lunch during the day
• Be required to wear their school uniforms in program
• Complete school work
• Explore creative outlets
• Learn life Skills
• Explore cultural humility
• Learn healthy behaviors
Activities:
• Healthy Communication
• Building Relationships
• Handling Conflict
• Finding and sharing their voice
• Our Circle programming
• Team building
For more information contact: Rasheeda Latch at (203) 573-0264 / rlatch@waterburyyouthservices.org
Perfect Prom Project
A wide selection of free prom dresses, men's formal wear and accessories.
APPOINTMENTS ENCOURAGED, BUT WALK -INS WELCOME. FOR TEENS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE ARPRIL 23RD EVENT, PLEASE CONTACT WATERBURY YOUTH SERVICES TO SCHEDULE AN ALTERNATIVE DATE AND TIME.
Contact Waterbury Youth Services at (203) 573-0264
Local Foundations Boost After School Program
EDUCATION
Empowering afterschool program for high school students gets
boost from community Foundations.
For many Waterbury students, the end of the school day means the start of an afternoon without direction, without productive activities, and sometimes without supervision.
Afterschool programs provide essential services like a safe and supervised learning environment, enriching activities, snacks, and caring and inspiring mentors.
For youth and families in need, Waterbury Youth Services’ Linking Academics to Life has filled the gap for high-quality, engaging afterschool programs for high school students in the city for more than 10 years.
“Each year, 50 youth come through the Linking Academics to Life (LAL) program,” says Kathi M. Crowe, Waterbury Youth Services’ Executive Director. “Youth not only have access to a range of academic supports, but they are also paired with mentors who track their development as they navigate through their tricky high school years. The growth and development we see month to month is amazing.”
In a survey issued by the Connecticut Youth Association Services Survey, youth in LAL reported: 96% felt safe in the program, 90% learned new skills and can use the skills when they leave the program, 92% got the help they needed, and 88% trusted the staff.
LAL, which costs approximately $172,000 to run each year, is funded 100% by donations from private foundations, local businesses and individuals. Most recently, Waterbury Youth Services received support for LAL from the following organizations:
Peoples’ United Foundation: $3,000 for stipends, program supplies and materials
Elisha Leavenworth Foundation: $12,850 for personnel costs, supplies and materials
Thomaston Savings Bank: $2,500 for LAL’s Senior Prep component.
Other key funders include American Savings Foundation, The United Way of Greater Waterbury, and MacDermid.
“We always have a waiting list for LAL,” says Crowe. “We work hard to grow this program each year. The community has been incredibly supportive, but this program could always use more funding.”
To learn more about LAL, contact Olivia Dudley at (203)573-0264. Waterbury Youth Services is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit charity serving 1,000 youth and their families each year through 22 programs including: Juvenile Justice, Mentoring, Truancy Prevention, Homeless Youth Resource Center, Youth & Family Emergency Services, Afterschool Programs, and Child Abuse Interdisciplinary Team. For more information, visit www.waterburyyouthservices.org.
"Youth not only have access to a range of academic supports, but they are also paired with mentors who track their development as they navigate through their tricky high school years. The growth and development we see month to month is amazing.”
"
CAC Ribbon Cutting
CHILD ADVOCACY
Join us Oct. 16th at 12:30pm (83 Prospect St., Waterbury) for this historic Ribbon Cutting Ceremony marking the expansion of our Child Abuse Interdisciplinary Team to a full-fledged Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) serving Greater Waterbury.
RSVP. I plan to attend!
Open House 2019
EDUCATION, CAREER, CLINICAL & PREVENTION PROGRAMS
Waterbury Youth Services will host an Open House in celebration of its new programs as well as 43 years of service. This free event is open to the public and will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 15 from 4pm-6pm at the agency (83 Prospect St., Waterbury). Light refreshments will be provided.
RSVP. I plan to attend!
ASF Grant Strengthens After School Program
EDUCATION
A Good High School Goes a Long Way But What Kids Learn Outside the Classroom Can Be Just As Powerful
American Savings Foundation awarded a $41,500 grant to Waterbury Youth Services, Inc. (WYS) for the agency’s flagship after school program for high school students “Linking Academics to Life.”
“Linking Academics to Life (LAL)” is a free college, career and life readiness program for underserved youth in Waterbury that promotes self-awareness, self-discovery and charting a successful life course.
“LAL not only enhances school attendance and success, but it also significantly enhances teens’ Developmental Asset Profile (DAP) test scores” says Kathi M. Crowe, WYS Executive Director. The DAP is the most widely used approach to assessing and promoting positive youth development in the United States. It is a measure of student well-being and covers such areas as home, school, community life, sense of achievement, optimism, health, and life skills.
“In the 2018-2019 academic year, 98% of LAL youth reported growth/improvement in their overall DAP scores; 100% of students advanced to the next grade level on time; and 100% of seniors graduated from high school on time,” says Crowe. “We’re incredibly proud of our youth.”
Studies show that when teens are enrolled in after-school programs they are three times less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as juvenile crime, drug use and substance use.
“When they come to WYS, they are in a safe environment where they are mentored by positive role models that help them reach education goals, explore their potential, become more independent, and develop leadership and social skills," says Crowe.
WYS offers one of the few free after school programs for high school students in Waterbury.
In addition, youth from the LAL program will have an opportunity to attend a tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the south during the 2019-2020 academic year.
“You can’t be what you can’t see,” says Crowe. “Many of our youth have not ventured much beyond Waterbury. This tour gives them the opportunity to experience a broader network, explore a different version of themselves, and see a new path in front of them.”
According to WYS statistics, 97% of LAL youth come from families who live below the federal poverty level; 80% self-identify as youth of color; 52% as Hispanic/Latino.
"This program fills a vital unmet need for Waterbury youth," says American Savings Foundation President Maria Falvo. “We are honored to be a long term partner and supporter of this life-changing program.”
In LAL, youth spend the after school hours on homework, tutoring ,in workshops and participate in 4 diverse, dynamic programs of their choice: Senior Preparation, Woodworking, Journalism, or Entrepreneurship. Students must attend high school daily in order to participate in LAL and maintain a minimum C grade point average. If they fall below a C, the program provides individual tutoring.
LAL youth also participate in themed celebrations, financial literacy workshops, community service, and other activities. Monthly "Family Nights" educate parents on the college application process and encourage parent participation in the LAL program.
Youth are also offered monthly stipends dependent on school and program attendance and academic achievement. This serves as an additional motivator and way to increase school performance. It also allows youth who might otherwise have to work after school to participate in the program and focus on academics.
Waterbury Youth Services is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit charity serving 1,000 youth and their families each year through 22 programs including: Juvenile Justice, Mentoring, Truancy Prevention, Homeless Youth Resource Center, Youth & Family Emergency Services, Afterschool Programs, and Child Abuse Interdisciplinary Team. For more information, visit www.waterburyyouthservices.org.
American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment which provides grants to local nonprofit organizations, in addition to college scholarships to area students. The Foundation is a broad-based funder dedicated to improving the quality of life for the residents of the communities they serve.
"This program fills a vital unmet need for Waterbury youth," says American Savings Foundation President Maria Falvo. “We are honored to be a long term partner and supporter of this life-changing program.”
"You can’t be what you can’t see. Many of our youth have not ventured much beyond Waterbury. This tour gives them the opportunity to experience a broader network, explore a different version of themselves, and see a new path in front of the
"
"[This program] not only enhances school attendance and success, but it also significantly enhances teens’ Developmental Asset Profile (DAP) test scores”
Help Great Childhoods Happen This April
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Help make great childhoods this April.
On April 10th, the Greater Waterbury Child Abuse Interdisciplinary Team (CAIT) will plant 100 pinwheels at their headquarters at Waterbury Youth Services to raise awareness that April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and to remind residents that services are available for victims.
“The pinwheel is a national symbol of childhood,” says CAIT Director Stacey Rubinfeld. “Each year, we review approximately 100 cases of alleged child abuse so we planted 100 pinwheels to honor each one. Every child deserves a great childhood. Unfortunately, they are sometimes exposed to extreme trauma like child abuse and neglect. Our goal is to support the healthy development of these children and to ensure they are not further victimized by the interventions and systems designed to protect them.”
The CAIT team protects children in the Greater Waterbury area by responding to allegations of child sexual abuse, child physical abuse and serious neglect, as well as domestic minor sex trafficking.
The CAIT draws its strength from the combined knowledge of multiple disciplines brought by team members working co-operatively. Partners include: the states attorney’s office (both Adult and Juvenile), the Dept. of Children and Families, local police departments and State Troop A, trained medical personnel, mental health professionals, victim advocates from Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury and court-appointed by the Office of Victim Services, the Office of Juvenile and Adult Probation and Love 146.
If you have concerns or suspicions that a child is being abused, please call the Department of Children and Families hotline 1-800-842-2288 or your local police department.
In 2008, Prevent Child Abuse America introduced the pinwheel as the new national symbol for child abuse prevention through Pinwheels for Prevention®.
The Greater Waterbury CAIT is recognized as an accredited Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) by the National Children’s Alliance. All forensic interviews and medical examinations are conducted free of charge. CAIT was formed around 1990 and serves the communities of Cheshire, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Prospect, Southbury, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, Woodbury and Troop A Southbury.
ION Bank gives $3,000 to support Urgent Client Needs for Homeless Youth
ION Bank Foundation Awards WYS $3000 for Urgent Client Needs for Homeless Youth
Population Served: Low-income, at-risk youth ages 6-24.
Program: Homeless Youth Resource Center/Youth & Family Emergency Services (YFES)
Location of Population Served: Greater Waterbury area.
Funds will support Urgent Client Needs for YFES Program, incling: bus passes for school/work/interviews, security deposits for housing, personal hygiene supplies, school training, and work supplies.
About YFES: Primary objective is to provide immediate crisis intervention and counseling services for Waterbury’s most at risk youth with the goals of decreasing the number ofyouth who run away, decreasing youth homeless population, provide SAFE PLACE sites around the community where youth can go to connect with needed services and decreasing need for DCF involvement.
No one can move on to a better lifestyle if they are constantly hungry, do not have the right clothes for an interview, have no money for transportation, no home for themselves or for their children, etc. Urgent Client Needs is critical to the success of the YFES program.