Horton Kellogg (a current board member, and involved with Y.O.U for 3 decades) introduced today’s speaker: Seth Green, Executive Director of Youth & Opportunity United (Y.O.U.). Seth joined Y.O.U. as Executive Director in May of 2011.
Youth & Opportunity United (Y.O.U.) is a youth development agency that provides services and leadership to meet the emerging needs of young people and their families in our community. Their vision: It is their goal that all young people acquire the skills, self-confidence, and opportunity to participate fully, freely, and responsibly in the life of the community.
Seth told us that Horton set up a database for them that they are still using, and is so pleased to have Horton as one of their special volunteers.
Seth also mentioned they are located at First Bank and Trust of Evanston and are 45 years old. They work with a lot of people in our Rotary Club.
Their history began in 1971 with several disillusioned hippies who were in Evanston. The Evanston Youth Commission appointed a task force to assess the needs of adolescents, inventory available services, and develop an appropriate and effective response to the hippies’ requests.
Representatives from schools, PTAs, city government, public and private organizations, and citizens at large met for six months and decided to create a new youth service agency - Youth Organizations Umbrella. They wanted to create a “direct service” concept. In 2015, the name was changed to Youth & Opportunity United.
Y.O.U. believes there is an opportunity gap about what young people in Evanston and Skokie need. They want to be involved in after-school time for kids. They partner with families and schools. They see families every month. They align their curriculum with each school’s curriculum. They have 100 service partners. Seth told us they are a GPS system of resources that are available in Evanston and Skokie. They also work with peers in Chicago.
They serve mental health in two ways:
- Group therapy – they have kids eat in groups that have matching needs.
- Family counseling – they meet with families and trained social workers and counselors to provide case management, crisis intervention, and individual and family counseling.
Don Baker, the previous director, was head of their organization for 40 years. They are now moving forward with a new model and new infrastructure under Seth’s direction.
Here are some highlights of the work they are doing:
- Family night – Washington Elementary School visited the Art Institute. They create tee shirts and dances based on their experience at the art museum.
- Intentional Learning – Kids participate in the “Mad Scientist” program for 7 days in the summer. Mad Science has hands-on activities, and real world discussions which make learning about science fun for kids.
- Middle Schools hold science classes on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) at the Evanston YMCA. They worked on a water project involving PSA with the City of Evanston.
Seth invited us to attend Family Activity Day on Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 1911 Church St. They will have a virtual tour of their planned building, snacks, and activities for kids and families, give-aways, and raffle prizes.
