Youth Programs

The adolescent years are a time of tumultuous growth and opportunity. They can also be an age of dangerous vulnerability, particularly for low-income youth.

A century ago, the club rooms at University Settlement would fill with youth looking for an alternative to hanging out on a street corner after school.  Today, University Settlement continues to pick up where school leaves off, providing enriching programs that make the most of late afternoon hours and give working parents peace of mind when they are on the job. Homework help keeps kids on task. Leadership-building sports programs build self-esteem. Creative cultural activities awaken lifelong talents.  And the fun and learning continue in summer camp.

University Settlement is also there for vulnerable adolescents who have a lot to worry about. An abusive parent, drug addiction, or a family that rejects who they are, can quickly escalate into conflicts that leave a teen alone on the street. For teens in foster care, simply getting older and "aging out" of government assistance can be a fearful prospect.

These are kids at risk, and University Settlement offers intensive and comprehensive programs that meet them where they are and guide them to a more promising future.

Helping low-income kids find their path to the future is a smart idea, and it makes all the difference.