The Youth Services Center is the heart of youthSpark’s work. It is managed by the dedicated staff who mentor and provide trauma-informed case management services for our youth.
By addressing individual and family vulnerabilities; connecting families to appropriate services; and providing funding shortfalls to cover gaps in connecting kids with services, youthSpark aims to be a source of compassion and love for all of those we serve.
Since opening in Fall 2017, youthSpark has served over 600 kids.
600+youth served
121acts of crisis intervention
2,200+instances of individual counseling and support
565group therapy sessions
484acts of court advocacy
12,000+hours spent by each case manager providing intervention services and support
Resulting in...
75%of youth maintaining weekly group attendance
80%of youth deciding not to runaway or reaching out before attempting to runaway
75%of youth decreasing their truancy rates/increasing school engagement
80%of youth complying with probation and court mandates
137 hoursspent online by youth participating in our 2020 Virtual Summer Program
The Youth Services Center offers three collaborative and victim-centered programs for boys, girls, and LGBTQ+ youth that all provide support and services to help victimized youth rebuild their lives in a safe and caring environment.
Each program offers weekly support groups, along with transportation and full meals to encourage consistent participation. Then youthSpark collaborates with community partners to promote school attendance, build leadership skills, and reduce running away and homelessness.
youthSpark's hallmark program, Voices, is designed for girls who have experienced or are highly vulnerable for sexual exploitation with ways to empower themselves, cope with trauma, and enhance healthy relationships.
Supporting vulnerable LGBTQ youth, Expressions works to make sure that LGBTQ+ youth can challenge internalized negative messages, handle stress, build a community of support, and embrace their true selves.
Connections works to equip youth experiencing in-home or community violence with ways to ease, express, and to solve conflict and feelings of anger resulting in personal stabilization.
We also offer a wide variety of other resources that are available to the teens that come through our doors. We aspire to reignite the spark in every child by presenting trauma-exposed youth with the proper tools to reclaim their voices and know their worth.
Located in the Youth Services Center, our Dream Closet is open to our youth at any time and offers necessities like clothes, shoes, food, toiletries, gift cards, and more that they are welcome to bring home.
We help teens become better equipped for success through skills-based learning opportunities, resume and employment support, and entrepreneurial events.
Uniforms, school supplies, and MARTA cards are also accessible through the youth Services Center to ensure that youth remain in school.
youthSpark’s early intervention model is designed to provide youth with a safe, affirming services through our Youth Services Center as quickly as possible.
We pride ourselves on training those who interact with youth daily to reach out at the first sign of warning, increasing our ability to disrupt paths leading to abuse, exploitation, and victimization by working together.
Upon connecting with a young person identified by our largest partners, the Fulton County Juvenile Court, our trauma-informed services team immediately engages the family/caretakers, offers crisis support and screens for other trauma or abuse utilizing evidence-based assessments.
Each teen has their own story, and we strive to offer them the tools they need to help tackle hurdles and reach every dream along their journey. In order to create a real lifestyle shift for the child living in a community often where their victimization or trauma occurred, they may require special advocacy in the court system or in the school system.
Education advocacy is critical to our model and we work to ensure that all youth remain active in school or an alternative education program. Our case managers attend student support team meetings, link youth with tutors, and assist families with financial resources to engage youth in prosocial activities.
We act as advocates for the youth we serve in all aspects of their lives — whether it’s in court, in school, or in their own home.
