Blog

youthSpark "Drives Change" in Fulton County with Truckers Against Trafficking

DS Smith’s Last-Minute Magic: Spreading Holiday Cheer at youthSpark’s 12th Annual Youth Recognition Ceremony

In the nick of time, DS Smith, a global packaging and recycling company, rallied their team and emerged as one of the heroes for our Annual Youth Recognition Ceremony.

Busy Making Lemonade

As an agency that exists solely to respond to the needs of youth who are hurting, neglected, or abused, it's important to remember that healing is not an easy job.

Georgia’s State of Hope Program awards youthSpark grant to better identify court-involved children with trauma histories

With the generosity of the The Georgia Professional Human Services Association through Georgia’s State of Hope Program, youthSpark will continue working on a special project to create structural improvements in how Georgia intervenes in child abuse.

Catholic Foundation of North Georgia supports youthSpark

Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, Inc. awards youthSpark a Catholic Community Grant

youthSpark's Jennifer Swain and Eliza Reock join Rose Scott on WABE

youthSpark’s Jennifer Swain and Eliza Reock on the progress — and ongoing challenges — in the fight to end child sex trafficking, following the news of a nationwide FBI operation that rescued victims from states including Georgia.

Mayor Andre Dickens toured youthSpark's Youth Services Center

Executive Director Jennifer Swain provided Mayor Dickens with a tour of the Center, sharing data and lived experiences of youth served, as well as discussed the urgent need for Atlanta to have a formal, coordinated response for missing and runaway youth.

Community Partnership Chat: Verizon + youthSpark

In a Community Partnership Chat, Verizon’s Michelle Arrington and Jennifer Swain, Executive Director of youthSpark, discussed how youthSpark’s innovative programs provide cutting edge services, education, and advocacy to combat youth trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.

New study by Emory University on CSEC Practitioner Perspectives

Study by researchers at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health publish article underscoring the need for research focused on specific populations at risk of CSEC and the need to resolve systemic issues disproportionately affecting youth vulnerable to and experiencing CSEC.

American Family Insurance honors youthSpark

To celebrate the work of youthSpark, American Family Insurance has chosen us as one of its "Atlanta Risers" through their Free to Dream initiative. Free to Dream marks a long-term commitment by American Family to invest $105 million as part of this initiative to bridge equity gaps, build healthy, sustainable communities and fight for social justice.

youthSpark's Annual Back to School Bash!

When families face decisions, such as keeping their lights on or their children's bellies full, it means their children's backpacks remain empty. Many thanks to volunteers from our youthSpark Board of Directors and the Fulton County Sheriff's Office who lent a helping hand where needed to support our families.

As We Near The End Of Summer, We Reflect On Our Good Times

At youthSpark, we are always working to reimagine how we offer access and opportunities to young people to think beyond their current circumstances and dare them to dream about their futures. We pride ourselves in going beyond the healing process in our Youth Services Center and empowering youth to imagine who they want to be. We know firsthand, when they can see it, they can achieve it.

Atlanta International Schools stands with youthSpark August 26, 2020

This summit event was the culmination of a 3 day theatricalfestival in which Atlanta International School, The National Center for Civiland Human Rights and the International Schools Association (ISTA) partneredwith youthSpark. It included over 100 students from 8 international schools aswell as local Atlanta schools. 

Our Approach to Trauma & Adverse Childhood Experiences

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (ages 0-17). More than twenty years of research into ACEs underscores the links between childhood experiences of abuse, neglect, community-level violence, and poor health outcomes in adulthood.

When ‘stay at home’ orders put children, women in easy reach of their abuser

Having a safe community is a basic want for any of us, regardless of where we live, the color of our skin, what we do for a living, how we worship or who we love. Having a safe community during the time of the Corona Virus, added a layer.

Social Emotional Learning – SEL – is essential for a happy fulfilled life filled with meaning

It is both apparent and essential, that as the world faces a major challenge, it is the daily emotional skills and tools that are both “holding” and supporting each individual right now.

How youthSpark is addressing the two most pressing issues of our time

For the past several months two issues have dominated the headlines: the COVID-19 pandemic and police violence in the wake George Floyd’s murder.

Battling to Protect the Vulnerable

Helmed by a team of empathetic warriors, youthSpark is leading the charge against trafficking of children in Atlanta