Youth Services

Youth Services provide outreach to troubled and delinquent adolescents and their families. Specific services include: Comprehensive Community-Based Youth Services, Unified Delinquency Intervention Service, Youth Diversion Program, Curfew/Truancy Program, Multi-Systemic Therapy and Functional Family Therapy.

Key Outcomes and Statistics::

  • Kids Hope United served 1,475 youth through Youth Services in FY07.
  • At the prevention level, 96 percent of youth served through Youth Services remained in a home-like setting, and 100 percent of youth served were deflected from further involvement in the Juvenile Justice System.
  • 98 percent of youth served through Youth Services remained in school, pursued vocational training or achieved employment.

Our Success:
At age 18, John was aging out of the system, left to care for everything from rent and bills to education and medical care on his own. After struggling to find a job and housing, John was offered help through a collaborative, work-training program supported by Westgate Resorts, City of Life Foundation and Family Services of Metro Orlando. The first-of-its kind program provides youth with jobs, affordable housing and life skills, requiring only that youth work at Westgate Resorts, pursue post-secondary education and pay $200 in monthly rent. Today, John is working hard at Westgate, training to be an air conditioning technician. He began trade school in August 2006 and is obtaining on-site experience at the resort. John has also set positive goals for his future. He plans to one day attend business school and start a business of his own.