Youth Service Bureau
Once upon a time, when a Centre County youth got in trouble and ended up in court, a judge’s only option was to send the child far from home for help. Judge R. Paul Campbell and other dedicated volunteers founded the Youth Service Bureau in 1968 so young people could get help in our own community.
Although YSB’s basic mission—helping children and youth—has remained the same for five decades, our programs have evolved and grown. Over the years, thanks to community support, YSB has helped hundreds of thousands of local children and families turn the page to new chapters of safety, understanding, responsibility, and much more.
YSB has grown from three staff members to 85, guided by a 19-person board of directors and supported by 375 ongoing and 975 short-term volunteers. Each year, these dedicated individuals touch the lives of more than 15,000 youth and family members through an array of services across three critical arenas:
Prevention programs strive to help kids fulfill their potential by proactively heading off problems such as drug and alcohol abuse.
Family services are resources for kids and families who need help developing a safe, healthy family environment.
Residential programs provide a temporary or long-term home for youth ages 12 to 21 who lack a family residence where they feel safe.
YSB continually assesses needs among local youth and looks for creative, evidence-based ways of meeting those needs. When we realized children were being sent to foster care due to unsanitary home conditions, we launched a program to help parents clean and organize so the family could be reunited.
After police pointed out neighborhoods with a high incidence of domestic calls to their department, we created mobile outreach teams to build supportive relationships with kids on their own turf. We also have adapted to ever-changing technology, adding social media to our methods of connecting with youth and families.
Perhaps most importantly, we have shifted our philosophy to one of partnering with all constituents. We want parents to view YSB staff as a resource, rather than as experts mandating change. We ask kids for their input through Youth Council, made up of older teens and young adults who are program participants or alumni. And we embrace the contributions of community donors who make it all possible.
Together, we are connecting children, youth, and families with people who care about them. We are creating opportunities for thousands more stories of hope, of confidence, of community, here in Centre County.
To learn more about the YSB call 814-237-5731, visit our webpage at www.ccysb.com, and make sure to follow us on social media!
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