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NYYC reaches teenagers before they lose their hopes, dreams and ambitions; providing the fundamentals they so sorely lack: the ability and willingness to follow directives, to accept delayed gratification, to embrace teamwork, to develop the commitment and fortitude to finish any job they start, and the courage to give and accept love.
NYYC is in a never-ending fight to see that no teenager's life becomes a cliché, (i.e. "they fell through cracks"). Give them a chance - and all young people will surprise with their willingness to respond to caring leadership, high expectations and an obligation to discipline themselves.
NYYC has been involved with youth for more than a decade and in that time we've seen innumerable success stories of every nature. Teens get to see that hope is real, that the alternatives offered are not just pipe dreams and what the program has done for other teenagers just like them. At the NYYC teens have fun while preparing for adulthood.
Education & Mentoring
EVERY YEAR, CLOSE TO ONE-THIRD OF EIGHTEEN YEAR OLDS do not finish high school. The dropout rates for minority students, students from low-income families, and disabled students are even higher. This is not just a problem affecting certain individuals and schools. It is a community-wide problem that affects everyone. High school dropouts commit about 75 percent of crimes in the United States and are much more likely to be on public assistance than those who complete high school.
The cost to the public for these crimes and welfare benefits is close to $200 billion annually. Dropouts earn only about 60 percent of what high school graduates earn and only about 40 percent of the income of college degree holders - resulting in about $50 billon dollars in lost state and federal tax revenues each year. Dropouts are much more likely to have health problems than non-dropouts. A 1% increase in high school completion rate would save the United States $1.4 billion annually in health care costs.
The NYYC staff thinks of itself as an alternative to street-life, a deterrent to drug use and sales, and as mentors for a youthful population trying to find out where they fit in. We can't provide statistics as proof, but NYYC has shown so many teens a "better" way to earn money, play, study, pray and to relate to their parents and teachers we must be reducing crime and teenage pregnancy in the communities we serve.
We double as youth mentors, providing role models that help a child develop socially and emotionally. Mentors help kids understand and communicate their feelings, relate to their peers, develop relationships with adults and stay in school.
Gang Violence
Gangs have been a plague in the greater New York area longer than anyone cares to remember. Too many teenagers come from single-parent homes, homes with public subsidies, neighborhoods rife with crime and drugs, and schools that cannot seem to adequately communicate to them.
There are neighborhoods where for residents, it doesn't seem like the sun ever comes up in the morning. For too many young folks it always seems dark and foreboding. It's a depressing environment that is more common to the inner cities - but extends into the suburbs as well. The New York Youth Club is coordinating with a number of law enforcement, youth agencies, social programs to shed some light on the problems and offer a variety of options that can remove all of the decaying, infectious, social diseases infesting those communities.
NYYC is a not-for-profit, charitable organization that in it's ten-year history has managed to rescue or contribute to the safeguarding of thousands of teenagers on Long Island and the inner city. The mission is to provide viable alternatives to gangs and crime for teenagers in the Greater New York area.
Staying Positive
Many of the team members of the NYYC come from environments that do not offer positive reinforcing activities that prepare teenagers for adulthood. They come from a variety of home-life situations, but many are from single parent homes in crime-ravaged communities like Wyandanch, Central Islip, Brentwood, Westbury, and all over the boroughs.
These young people, ages 14 - 17, are attracted to the NYYC because the NYYC offers them fun activities like sports tournaments, Go-Karting, Concerts, Bowling and Theme Park outings. But they get so much more: Learning team concepts, fiscal responsibility, delayed gratification and the value of a good education. Moreover "Teen Bible Studies" are also available for those who seek a higher moral calling.
And now many of these grateful teenagers, who appreciate the guidance and supervision NYYC offers, are making their own contribution to the families in high-crime areas who can most use the help.
