OUR STUDENTS

Our mission at YES is to continue to grow and expand opportunities to invest in as many Pittsburgh youth and families as possible. Out of this mission comes our core belief that there are no throw-away kids. We support any students who express interest in and meet the criteria for our Mentoring Partnerships and Diversion 2000 programs, and even for those who don’t, because we deem students to be our greatest and most valuable resource. They drive and lead our programming initiatives, inform the critical work in which we engage, demonstrate strength in overcoming obstacles, and further evidence the breadth of our impact.

Youth Service Delivery Programs

Mentoring Partnerships

The heart of YES is Mentoring Partnerships, a community-based program that incorporates peer mentor certification training, life skills, and communication skills to address at-risk behavior among adolescents. The mentoring concept is central to our organization’s philosophy of improved physical, emotional and academic development. The primary goals of the mentoring program are as follows: academic improvement, cultural enrichment, career development, and life skills enhancement.

Mentoring Partnerships Criteria

Students who are:

Ages 14 - 21
Attending Pittsburgh Public schools or schools in surrounding districts
Residing in Pittsburgh or surrounding Pittsburgh communities

Diversion 2000

Developed in collaboration with the Allegheny County Juvenile Court, Diversion 2000 (D2000) is a 24/7 monitoring and mentoring program offering juvenile offenders an alternative to detention. Intervention Specialists conduct school and home visits, monitor school attendance, make daily curfew calls, and arrange academic support. The family action plans are designed to protect the child and the well-being of their community, decrease truancy, reduce recidivism and ensure that the family’s rules will be adhered to throughout the duration of the program.

Diversion 2000 Program Criteria

Students who are:

Ages 10 - 18
Referred from Probation Officer or Juvenile Court Judge
Residing in Allegheny County

Extended Diversion Services

D2000 youth are transferred to the Extended Diversion Services (EDS) program offered by YES if stakeholders determine youth will benefit from continued probationary services. EDS youth continue to receive home and school visits and nightly curfew calls; however their services are expanded to include weekly sessions facilitated by YES staff, social and cultural outings, one-on-one mentoring, and employability preparation. Staff select the service provision that align and address challenges the present youth are facing to individualize services.

Extended Diversion Program Criteria

Students who are: