Troubled Teens Resources

One of the most effective form of teen crisis intervention is that undertaken by individual celebrity athletes. The ones that take the time to visit and speak with the troubled teens who look up to them. In many cases athletes can raise money for programs for troubled teens that otherwise would have to scramble and fight for every thin dime.

Such is the case where a community program was saved via community efforts and the blessing of some football greats.

“Former San Francisco 49er Randy Kirk brought smiles to young faces and a $10,000 check to the El Toro Youth Center.

“Work hard, always do your best, and you’ll be able to achieve your dreams,” Kirk told a group of more than 30 children last week.

The Oct. 18 visit was great news for a program bouncing back from the brink of bankruptcy last June.

The staff breathed a sigh of relief as efforts to raise $100,000 came closer to a happy ending, with $93,000 raised so far, according to Morgan Hill Mayor Steve Tate, one of the community leaders working to save the center for at-risk youth in the community.”

Teen programs depend heavily on the generosity of the community and often flounder and fail for lack of funds. When that happens, the entire community suffers.

“The center has been a resource for low-income…families for about 20 years, providing after-school and summer programs for needy children and parents. Many low-income and single-parent families rely on El Toro for childcare and academic support. The center also serves as a hub of information on other social services available to low-income as well as immigrant families.”
(source)

It depends on what part of the country that you live in, but many teen crisis intervention efforts are directed towards youth in gangs. As traffic continues to moves freely across our Southern borders, gangs are starting to proliferate in areas of the country that never had problems before. With gangs come the usual problems with teen drug substance abuse, crime, murders and abuse of young teen girls.

“Acts of violence and crime are on the rise in St. George due to an increase in gang activity as more gang members are moving to the area, and more kids are becoming involved with these gangs.

Ex-gang member Alii Alo is reaching out to the youth in schools and on the streets. He has seen firsthand the devastation that comes with gang affiliation. Alo, known as Bear on the streets, co-created Team RAW in 2003 with Tami Fullerton. They saw the need for an organization that offers an alternative to the gang lifestyle by providing activities for at risk youth, developing friendships with the kids, and building a rapport with current gang members.”
(source)

Team RAW, like so many community efforts is in need of funding. Staff is short and there isn’t enough money to conduct the type of outreach the founders wish to perform. This is where parents can play a part by being pro-active for their teen’s safety. Gangs are a danger to an entire city, not just the parts of town that they control. When parents demand safety from their law enforcement, they also need to see what they can contribute to community efforts like RAW.