Contracting with numerous collaborating agencies allows the YWCA to provide comprehensive services to at-risk youth and their families. The purpose of Youth Services is to provide positive alternatives to gang membership, gang violence, encourage and develop positive behaviors, and strengthen the family unit. PEARL® (Prevention, Empowerment, Academics, Recreation and Leadership) is the curriculum used to promote strong, healthy minds and bodies in our youth. We offer PEARL® in a variety ways and settings:

Prevention: provides youth with positive options to conflict and violence in their lives.

Empowerment: develops self-esteem and resiliency through active learning and exploration of cultural awareness, positive body image, financial literacy, technology awareness, career exploration, and college and employment preparation.

Academics: this component allows youth the opportunity to heighten academic interest and develop effective study skills through homework assistance, tutoring, academic enrichment and computer literacy.

Recreation: develops youth’s social and recreational skills through performing arts, health and fitness, social clubs, hobbies and arts/crafts.

Leadership: provides opportunities to practice leadership in the promotion of community action and service, racial justice, gender equity, public policy, peer mediation, and the YW Youth Council.

Youth Services includes the following programs:

• Afterschool Program: We provide a safe haven and supervised environment for students during critical hours after school. The afterschool program is comprised of three major components: Academic Assistance, Enrichment, and Recreation. This free program is offered to all students enrolled in participating schools.

• Youth Club: Youth Services provides a variety of activities on school campuses in the area of Youth Violence Prevention. These include effective peer mediation training in the middle and high schools, contests and classroom work groups during Week Without Violence and throughout the school year, self defense classes and an annual Anti-Violence Conference for young girls.

• Techgyrls: Aimed at raising the interest, confidence and competence in technology, the Techgyrls program provides hands-on computer exploration to under-served girls.

• Girls, Women $: This economic empowerment program is designed to teach mothers and daughters economic literacy.

• GAB (Girls Advisory Board): This program is designed to encourage leadership development and community advocacy.