Youth Development and Opportunity
Giving East Harlem youth the tools to thrive.
WHAT WE DO
Through our programs, every year almost 1500 eager and energetic children, teens and young adults actively seek and create opportunities to forge brighter futures.
We serve approximately 2000 out-of-school youth, almost exclusively African American and Latino, who are more than twice as likely to be “disconnected.
Programs & Services
Elementary and Middle School Students
We serve children ages 5 to 12 in our lively Rising Stars after-school program at three East Harlem elementary schools and one community center. Our program features year-round activities, including tutoring, computer instruction, visual and performing arts projects, recreation, and a summer day camp. We also offer unique enhancements, such as our popular circus arts programming in conjunction with Marquis Studios and an enriching visual arts program. In the summers, we engaged the Rising Stars children in our highly successful literacy-building Theme Teams program—multi-week learning projects organized around a specific theme.
Contact:
Gaylord White Community Center
237 E 104th St, New York, NY 10029
Desmond Reid, dreid@unionsettlement.org
P.S. 112 Jose Celso Barbosa
535 E 119th St, New York, NY 10035
Liza Hunte, lhunte@unionsettlement.org
P.S. 138
144-176 E 128th St, New York, NY 10035
Jasmine Philip, jphilip@unionsettlement.org
P.S. 38
232 E 103rd St, New York, NY 10029
Christen Givens, cgivens@unionsettlement.org
646-316-1332
Our Bridges middle school program, operating out of four school-based sites, serves students with academic, personal, and cultural enrichment, as well as our year-round Middle School College Preparation Program, designed to help students in East Harlem’s middle schools gain admission to competitive high schools. In addition, we offer high-quality dance, yoga, Zumba, drumming, creative arts, cooking, improvisational theater, technology, and drama activities during after-school programming. We also offered Leadership Development and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) curricula, encouraging our students to develop key leadership skills through public speaking, critical thinking, debate, and research in topics such as social injustice, environmental changes, community development, political awareness and advocacy efforts for summer funding.
Contact:
Esperanza Preparatory Magnet School
240 E 109th St, New York, NY 10029
Marcus Lewis, mlewis@unionsettlement.org
M.S. 007
Samuel Stern School
160 E 120th St, New York, NY 10035
Takenia Cotton, tcotton@unionsettlement.org
P.S. 096 Joseph Lanzetta 216 E
120th St, New York, NY 10035
Anais Rodriguez, anrodriguez@unionsettlement.org
PS/MS 108 School of Authors
Nirvanna Shaw
Program Director
nshaw@unionsettlement.org
Since 2022 we have offered a 21st Century Community Learning Center program at PS/MS 108 School of Authors, and Esperanza Preparatory Magnet School – MS372 with a mission of uniting school, family, and community to help young people achieve their full potential. We serve elementary and middle school students at PS/MS 108 with services emphasizing personalized instruction, student wellness, readiness to learn, community partnerships, and family engagement as key strategies to leverage better academic and social-emotional outcomes among high-need students. Key objectives of the program include increasing student attendance, providing mental health support for students and their families, and providing workshops for parents and families on topics including healthy living, college readiness, and cyberbullying prevention. Our partners include Chase Bank, which provides financial literacy curriculums and workshops for parents; Asphalt Green to assist students with achieving health through a lifetime of sports and fitness; and Springboard Collaborative, to improve academic outcomes while strengthening family-educator relationships.
Contact:
Destynee Arnold
Community School Director
PS/MS 108 School of Authors
Darnold@unionsettlement.org
Contact:
Molly Guzman
Esperanza Preparatory Magnet School – MS372
240 E 109th St, New York, NY 10029
mguzman@unionsettlement.org
High School and College Students
Since 1964, our College Readiness Program has provided more than 22,000 low-income students with guidance and encouragement to pursue higher education. We help high school students stay on track for on-time graduation and navigate the college selection, admissions and financial aid processes. Our services include academic, financial, career and personal counseling, career exploration, tutoring, college application essay writing workshops, college visits, SAT and ACT preparation, mentoring and early intervention/transition services for middle school students.
View our 2022 College Readiness program flyer for more information
Contact:
Dr. Richard D. Reeves
College Readiness Director
rreeves@unionsettlement.org
646-245-5076
In addition to increasing college access among socioeconomically disadvantaged youth, we enhance college success by providing support and guidance to students during their first year of college. Each year, we assist 50 College Readiness alumni with their transition to college. Our Transition Counselor helps students connect with campus resources, supports the formation of good study habits, facilitates peer support and networking and troubleshoots with administrative offices.
Contact:
Dr. Richard D. Reeves
College Readiness Director
rreeves@unionsettlement.org
646-245-5076
Our DYCD-funded COMPASS High School afterschool program serves high school freshmen and sophomores at Esperanza Preparatory Magnet School. The program provides counseling, tutoring, college preparation, and team-building activities. Through a partnership with Columbia University and the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, graduate-level social work students worked with participants to develop goals and strengthen their social/emotional intelligence, support school retention and increase attendance. Participants engaged in enrichment activities, including the Esperanza Family Night Community Forum, cooking and nutrition classes, a robotics program, music and dance activities, and a spoken-word forum.
Contact:
Alexandra Sandoval
Program Director COMPASS High (9th-10th grade)
Esperanza Preparatory Academy (M372)
asandoval@unionsettlement.org
Union Settlement SYEP-WLP is a school based Career Ready summer youth employment program that operates in partnership with several high schools in East Harlem. The SYEP program is design to give youth ages 16-21 a comprehensive summer work experience; and youth ages 14-15 a stipend based project development experience. The WLG (Work Learn Grow) component gives high achieving SYEP students a 3 month college course experiences coupled with a 3 month paid internship.
Contact:
Rebecca Mothersil
Work, Learn & Grow (WLG) Director
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Director
rmothersil@unionsettlement.org
631-482-4593
Alternative Programs
Career Academy provides workforce development, job readiness, job placement services to youth and young adults ages 16-30. This also includes Works Progress Paid Internship Services for youth seeking on the job training. Program services are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.
Contact:
Daisy Velazquez
daisy.velazquez@unionsettlement.org
daisy.velazquez@unionsettlement.org
(212) 828-6113
Reconnect & Rise GED program helps adults ages 18 and above to prepare for and take the NYS GED Test. Class schedules are every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 4pm with both English and Spanish instruction.
Contact:
Dr. Prosper Udogwu
347-490-2518
AIM ( Advocate-Intervene-Mentor) and Works Plus are Intervention and redirection programs of the Department Of Probation. AIM provides services to court mandated youth on probation ages 13-24. Works Plus provides Life skills and Workforce Development training to youth and young adults ages 16-30. Program hours are Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.
Contact:
Steven Meyer
Program Director
smeyer@unionsettlement.org
917-723-0077