Youth Services

Burdened with failing schools, high dropout rates and the threats posed by crime, substance abuse and hopelessness, East Harlem's young men and women are actively seeking opportunities to build brighter futures. Youth at Union provides such opportunities. Each year, our creative and dedicated staff leads nearly 2,000 hardworking and energetic children and teens through a comprehensive set of programs that seeks to nurture multiple aspects of our young peoples' lives, from educational to personal, from skills acquirement and career preparation to cultural enrichment and expression. These programs include:

Rising Stars Program. We enroll 200 youngsters ages six to 12 in year-round activities, including homework assistance, tutoring, computer instruction, visual and performing arts projects, recreational activities and a summer day camp. We also offer literacy programs such as our multidisciplinary Theme Teams and the Spaghetti Book Club, a hands-on music program and our softball/baseball program in collaboration with Harlem RBI.

Bridges, which serves approximately 100 middle school students through academic, personal and cultural enrichment as well as two specialized programs: the Healing Our Problems Early Program (HOPE), which focuses on sexual literacy and personal development, and our year-round Middle School College Preparation Program designed to help students in East Harlem's middle schools gain admission to competitive high schools that will set them on the path to higher education.

High School Services for youth ages 14-18, including Union Works, which provides employment and educational opportunities for in-school youth, including, tutoring, internships and job skills development. We are also serving more than 300 students at Cascades High School through our new Learning to Work Program, which provides internships, support services, college awareness activities, employability skills workshops and career exploration to young people at a NYC Department of Education transfer school. New this year, we will be greatly expanding our high school services through the consolidation of Youth at Union and the Settlement College Readiness Program.

Physical Fitness and Leadership through Sports. As part of the youth development mission underlying all our programs, our sports programs are designed to increase the physical activity levels of our youth, lead participants to our academic services and teach discipline and the value of working effectively with their peers and instructors. For instance, our Stay on Point program promotes teamwork, leadership skills and dedication, while providing an alternative to negative influences such as drug and alcohol abuse. The program serves a total of 200 at-risk teens through structured competitive play, including basketball, tennis, baseball, track and field. Participants are required to take part in our tutoring program and attend a series of workshops on topics such as peer pressure, conflict resolution, proper nutrition, STD prevention and career exploration.

Education Center. The centerpiece of Youth at Union is its Education Center. Open weekdays from three to nine p.m. and on Saturdays for special events and activities, the Center serves as a "neighborhood sanctuary" where parents can be sure their children are engaged in constructive, enriching activities. Its offerings include:

Programs
Bridges
Union Works
Rising Stars
Wildcats