Our Programs
Foundation For Youth is building assets!
Support
Caring environment with supportive adults
Empowerment
Safe inclusive space
Boundaries & Expectations
Clear rules and consequences
Role models and high expectations
Constructive Use of Time
Creative activities (Maker Studio, RC Track, Art, Music, Coding)
Commitment to Learning
Homework help
In-Club library
Positive Values & Identity
Fosters honesty, integrity, responsibility, equality, self esteem, and a sense of purpose
Substance misuse prevention initiatives
Social Competencies
Encourage good choices, develops social skills, cultural awareness, empathy, and positive peer influence
Video Credits:
Josh Hogan
Nathan Larrison
Laura Moses-Wadsworth
We achieve this through....​
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Child and Youth Care Certification
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By the end of 2019, FFY had 17 staff members with the Child and Youth Care Certification
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Direct Service Programs
Boys & Girls Club at Hope Avenue
Our Boys & Girls Club offers year round out of school programming. Focused on character & leadership, healthy lifestyles, positive identity, and a lifelong commitment to learning, our Club kids develop the tools to become great future citizens. We encourage all our staff to qualify to be Certified Youth Workers.
Adventure Camp & Summer Exploration at Columbus Youth Camp
Qualified and experienced staff help kids explore, learn, and grow in the beautiful Bartholomew County countryside. Our new Adventure Camp brings all the fun of Camp year round! Lake activities, high ropes, forest walks, as well as a rustic Maker Space, RC track and playscape, are available for kids to have fun while they learn!
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bartholomew County
One-on-one mentors, our Bigs come from diverse backgrounds just like our Littles. They are regular people, just like you. Positively impacting kids, Bigs are role models that come in all shapes and sizes. Littles have a parent or guardian in their life already. What they need is a Big to spend quality, one-on-one time with them. Someone to have fun with, someone they can confide in, someone like you.
Health & Fitness
The Health and Fitness programs of Foundation for Youth provide numerous health advantages to all ages of participants. Regular exercise and physical activity promotes strong muscles and bones, it increases life expectancy, provides quality to life, reduces risk of injury, and increases socialization for all ages to name a few. Encourage your family to be actively engaged,and challenge yourself to meet daily or weekly physical activities. Create time for exercise and make physical activity a part of your daily routine, come join us at FFY!
Athletics
Recreational Basketball, Volleyball, Kickball leagues for ages 5 and up teach teamwork, sportsmanship, and healthy lifestyles.
Girls On The Run & Trailblazers
Girls on the Run and Trailblazers inspire girls and boys to take charge of their lives and define the future on their terms. It's a place where kids learn that they can. No limits. No constraints. Only opportunities to be remarkable.
Community Initiatives
Communities That Care​
We support Substance Misuse Prevention throughout the community through a grant from the Division of Mental Health & Addictions. Communities That Care works through collaborative partnerships to deliver evidence-based programming like LifeSkills Training and Positive Action within classrooms and out-of-school programs with a wide variety of organizations.
Drug Free Communities
Through a grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), received by Foundation For Youth and the Bartholomew County Substance Abuse Council, FFY is helping coordinate further Substance Abuse prevention efforts by strengthening collaborative work.
Safe Place
A collaborative initiative supported by IYSA providing access to immediate supportive resources for youth in need. Our Safe Place program includes Fire Stations, The Commons, Donner Center, Hamilton Center, and Police Stations. The primary focus is runaway prevention.
Council for Youth Development
Funded by the Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County and Faurecia, Council for Youth Development is a Bartholomew County network that identifies, coordinates, and aligns community efforts to ensure the development of the whole child. The coalition designed a Youth Master Plan that guides work in the areas of youth empowerment, family engagement, and professional development. With over fifty county partners, CYD focuses on working alongside regional and state initiatives to achieve better well-being for all youth and families.