"Bringing about a Prosperous, Healthy and Caring Community."

East End Youth Center     

East End serves a community where teens face many obstacles to success, especially with the recent increase in unemployment and increase in poverty related to the recession.

For these teens, The Youth Center provides a safe, welcoming place there they can participate in programs afterschool, during the evening and during the summer.  In a community challenged by poverty, these youth are changing their neighborhood through service.  

Our teen program uses best practices for youth development which emphasizes that teens and young adults need to acquire personal assets in order to succeed. Studies completed by the Search Institute have identified 40 developmental assets that are associated with responsible behavior and academic success.   Through participation at the Youth Center, pre-teens, adolescents and young adults are building crucial skills, assets and resiliency factors that will help them make positive decisions. 

Prevention Programs: The youth attend a wide array of structured groups and activities that help them make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors like teen pregnancy, drug use, dropping out of school, etc.   In this groups, youth learn about how to resist peer pressure, handle conflict without violence, what are healthy and unhealthy relationships and other life skills.   The structured learning is broken into segments and reinforced by fun activities that promote bonding. 

Academic Programs: Through tutoring and educational enrichment, teens are assisted in achieving academic success.   Our goal is to work with youth to find the learning environment and supports that best match their preferences and needs so that they will succeed.   Teens learn while having fun.  Recently, our teens completed their own video.  A computer lab helps youth learn and practice the technological skills that will prepare them for the future.

Future Success: Through visits to colleges, pre-employment skills training, and actual work experiences, youth are prepared to become self-sufficient adults.  More than 93 percent of our youth report that they would like to attend college. 

 Cultural Programming: Youth benefit from programs that promote creative expression. In partnership with City Folk, artists help teens learn about different cultures and build tolerance and respect. The youth have taken a lead in participating in such events as the Martin Luther King March and the Dayton Dialogue on Race. 

Sports, Fitness and Recreation: Studies have shown that participation in recreational and athletic programs have significant benefits for youth and reduce the likelihood that they will engage in risky behavior. We offer a wide range of opportunities , including open time for youth simply to gather and engage in informal sports or games.

Service:  Throughout the year, numerous service projects help youth feel that they are connected to improving their neighborhood and the broader community.  The youth benefit from the chance to give back to others and to learn that they are needed by the neighborhood.   They have completed a wide range of projects, including recent fundraiser for a child that was critically injured in a bike accident.

 East End Community Services   624 Xenia Avenue    Dayton, OH 45410    Phone 937-259-1898   FAX: 937-259-1897   Email: ajomantas@east-end.org