East Liberty nonprofit Youth Enrichment Services Named 2019 Champion in Action
“Trib Total Media recognizes the power of the mentorship provided to young people in the Pittsburgh region by Youth Enrichment Services.”
— Jennifer Bertetto, Trib Total Media President and CEO
By Courier Editor, March 4, 2019
The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Youth Enrichment Services (YES), a nonprofit providing socially and economically at-risk youth the opportunity to achieve success through participation in mentorship, education and enrichment programs, has been named a 2019 Champion in Action in the category of Youth Leadership. The award, announced jointly by Citizens Bank, WPXI-TV, Trib Total Media and Pittsburgh Cares, includes $35,000 in unrestricted funding as well as promotional and volunteer support for the organization’s outstanding work, according to a release.
Youth Enrichment Services (YES) provides empowerment, experiential opportunities, academic enrichment and summer employment as positive pathways to future success. YES partners with local organizations to create synergy and generates transformative stories, national accolades and positive research outcomes.
Youth
Enrichment
Services
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:
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Ages 14 – 21
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Attending Pittsburgh Public schools or schools in surrounding districts
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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 with an alternative to detention. Program staff conduct school and home visits, monitor school attendance, make daily curfew calls, and arrange academic supports to aid client’s development, decrease truancy, and reduce recidivism.
Diversion 2000 Program Criteria
Students who are:
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Ages 10 – 18
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Referred from Probation Officer or Juvenile Court Judge
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Residing in Allegheny County
Extended Diversion Services
Extended Diversion Services (EDS) offers former justice-involved youth with extended, holistic, and individualized support 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.
Extended Diversion Program Criteria
Students who are:
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Ages 10 – 18
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Referred from Probation Officers, Juvenile Court Judges, School Stakeholders, and Municipal Court Judges
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Residing in Allegheny County
student pathways
Mentoring Partnerships Pathways
The Beginning:
Program Enrollment
The Truth:
Mentor/Mentee Training
The Work: Summer Enrichment
and Workforce Development
The Connection:
School Year Service Provision
The Way:
Stakeholder Engagement
The Life: Year-Round Program Engagement
The Mission:
Empowerment
The Return:
Come Back and
Support YES
Programming
Diversion 2000 Pathways
Referral from Probation Officer
Intake Home Visit
Provisional Services
Adjudication Court Hearing
or P.O. or Judge Terminates
Youth Enrollment
Provisional Services Continue
Youth Eligible for Group Programming & Mentor Outings
P.O. or Judge Terminates Youth Enrollment
Enrollment in Mentoring Partnership Programming
OUR SENIORS
While we honor and appreciate all our students, we particularly enjoy highlighting our seniors, typically longstanding participants who contribute greatly to YES, commit to fulfilling its mission, and vow to carry on its legacy of empowerment. Here are some of the colleges our seniors have been accepted to:
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Duquesne University
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University of Pittsburgh
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VIllanova University
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University of Virginia
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Drexel University
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Virginia Tech University
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Pennsylvania State University
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Lafayette College
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Allegheny College
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Purdue University
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Hampton University
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Kent State University
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Saint Vincent University
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Chatham University
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Seton Hill University
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Coe College
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Susquehanna University
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Washington and Jefferson
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Slippery Rock University
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Alabama State University
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Robert Morris University
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Lincoln University
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Clark Atlanta
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Edinboro University
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Delaware State University
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Xavier University
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West Virginia University
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Temple University
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Howard University
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Berklee School of Music
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Saint Joseph's University
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The University of Arts
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West Chester University
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Cleveland State University
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Baldwin Wallace
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CMU* - Waitlist
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Lehigh* - Waitlist
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NYU* - Waitlisted
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NC State University* - Waitlisted
OUR COLLEGE FRESHMEN
YES is committed to ensuring students gain access to post-secondary educational opportunities and resources. Below is a subset of youth who are pursing post-secondary education and who have benefited from YES' investment.
