Youth Stories by Scott Beaty Executive Director, MN Youth Intervention Programs Association

Youth Intervention may encompass many things, but it always returns to the individual young person who is struggling to make the right choices, often against impossible odds. As part of a statewide association, I get to hear a lot of stories – happy and sad – from youth service providers across Minnesota. A few years ago, YIPA compiled some of these stories as part of the KidsChange initiative. You can find these stories and more like them at the KidsChange website.

Emilio Vargas had just transferred to one of our local middle schools from South Minneapolis. At this new school he struggled to find where he fit in, resulting in frustration that led to many negative attitudes and behaviors regarding school, and life in general. He regularly refused to go to school in the morning and was habitually tardy and truant. When at school, he took his negative attitude to his classes where his teachers were quick to call him out on it. Emilio would often bark back obscenities and idle threats to the teachers whom he believed were belittling him in front of his new classmates. Needless to say, Emilio was having an especially hard time at school and was getting into a lot of trouble behaviorally, academically, and socially.

Out of school things weren't much better. Gang affiliation and activity were his primary hobbies. He was often finding himself hanging around the streets with no positive outlets. Emilio was regularly in fights, participating in destructive behavior, and was once shot at by a group of rival teenagers.

Emilio was referred to our SUCCESS after school program by our Truancy Coordinator and he began attending the program on a daily basis. SUCCESS became a safe and positive place for Emilio to be after school. This program became the "fertile soil" where Emilio was soon to begin growing leaps and bounds. He quickly began making friends and gaining positive relationships with the staff. Emilio was exposed to activities, games, and character development exercises that foster the YMCA's four core values (caring, respect, responsibility, and honesty). Emilio's attitude was quickly making a drastic change for the better.

Emilio Vargas is a prime example of how much a positive after school program and caring staff can help improve the life of young youth. Since joining the SUCCESS program, Emilio has a newfound optimistic approach to life and is getting much more out of it. He is performing wonderfully in school, has loads of friends, is adored by all at the YMCA, participates in extra curricular activities after school, and is truly enjoying himself in all he does. Way to go Emilio! You are truly a remarkable young man!

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Nola (age 18) was referred to POINT Northwest for Runaway and Homeless Youth by another youth worker after having been released from a correctional facility where she had served time for an offense she committed as a minor. Nola had recently given birth to a son and Nola's mother would not allow for her to return home due to the fact that she had turned 18 and now had a child of her own - this would change the Household Income Guideline through the county and could potentially result in a loss of the housing subsidy that her mother was receiving. Over the years, Nola's relationship with her mother had dwindled and Nola described a long struggle that revolved around her mother's "mental illness" and chemical dependency. Nola's father had never been part of the picture.

So, Nola found herself homeless, with an infant, for many months and struggling to find anyone who was willing to rent any type of housing to her. She "couch hopped" while working a full time job, searching for housing, and taking care of her son (all without a vehicle and having to take the city bus). She heard repeatedly from property managers that even though she had a job, and had been employed with them for quite some time, her income just was not sufficient enough in their eyes and she'd have to look elsewhere.

POINT Northwest began working with Nola and her case worker at a time when Nola had, pretty much, exhausted all options. Due to strong persistence on Nola's part, and with the help of the supportive services within our program, POINT Northwest was able to secure housing for Nola and her son.

Nola and Kyle now live in a one-bedroom apartment together (via a scholarship through POINT Northwest's Transitional Living Program) and Nola continues to work and attend school. She aspires to pursue college eventually and has a goal of becoming a Correctional Officer someday.

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From a former youth at Neighborhood Youth Services: I am presently a student at Lake Superior College studying graphic design, but my life could have turned out much differently.

I was born in Chicago, and from the start, my life has been rough. I was the first of seven kids in a poor, black family living in poor black neighborhoods, attending poor, black schools surrounded by gangs and a lot of people who just didn't care.

At the age of 17 I moved to Duluth to live with my aunt. It was here that I discovered the Washington Center and Neighborhood Youth Services (NYS), and it was one of the first times I saw an opportunity for change.

As one of the programs operated by Woodland Hills, NYS was a place that really stood out for me. It was the first time I was introduced into a completely positive environment. The mentors and staff at NYS were adults who I could look up to and who looked out for the youth---not only inside the youth center but outside as well during our everyday lives.

To be honest, if it wasn't for NYS, I would have been out on the street getting into all sorts of trouble. The people in the program were living examples who showed that despite your surroundings or your origin, you can have a positive life and do positive things.

Now I have been given the opportunity to be a role model to the next generation by passing on the things I've learned, and more importantly, by just being there for the kids. Through volunteer work and work study, I've been given a chance to be a positive adult figure to kids at NYS can trust and depend on. I've been given a chance to give back to those who have given to me.

In life, there are a great number of influences that shape who we are. My experience at NYS is one thing that has helped shape who I am today.