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Boys & Girls Club of Indian River County, Inc. — Youth Volunteer Corps Grant Application to the Children Services Advisory Committee Co PROGRAM DESCRIPTION (Entire Section C, 1 — 6, not to exceed two pages) I. List Priority Needs area addressed. Mental Wellness Issues & Childcare Access 2. Briefly describe program activities including location of services. The Youth Volunteer Corps services focus on education, skill building, and leadership development while providing ongoing positive activities for youth outside of school hours everyday after school and during the week- ends . The following in a list of programs offered to youth through out Indian River County in the YVC program: • VIP PROGRAMS (Volunteers in Partnership) Weekend Service Projects throughout Indian River County. • YVC Summer Program : Service projects are provided daily throughout the summer for teams of Youth Volunteers which are led by YVC Staff Team Leaders . • PALS ("Pupils Assisting Learning in Schools ') After School Tutoring Program : Youth Volunteers work in teams under the leadership of an YVC Staff Team Leader in a structured tutoring program in elementary after school programs . • Exploring Your Community Through the Scientific Method : The Youth Volunteer Corps, provides service activities to replace required Science Fair projects in FLC ' s Biology classes . • YVC Clubs : The Philanthropy Club which is designed to assist young people in the grant writing process and to present opportunities to participate in the fundraising process and the YVC Computer Club is designed to assist the B &GC with their technology and to maintain the agency Web Page, YVC School Clubs which design school wide service projects and work as a recruitment source within the school . • Youth Volunteer Corps Advisory Council : Youth Volunteers who have shown consistency in participation, exemplary behavior, and leadership skills, are chosen to represent the members of the YVC in a monthly youth driven council . 3. Briefly describe how your program intends to address the stated need/problem . Include reference to any studies or evidence that indicate proposed strategies are effective with target population. Most youth programs reinforce the disconnection that young people feel in our society by treating them as clients rather than contributors. The youth volunteer is the primary focus of the YVC program, but youth in this program are given the responsibility as the contributors of service . The Youth Volunteer Corps places these young people into an environment of meeting the needs others . Studies have linked adverse youth behavior with low self esteem . Treating youth as resources and putting them in responsible, serving roles builds self esteem. Search Institute ' s study of 46, 000 young people, described in The Troubled Journey, found that youth who serve others are less likely to be involved in negative behaviors . The study showed that participating in "helping behavior" lowered adolescent ' s involvement in substance abuse, dropping out of school, teen pregnancy, and other negative behaviors . 6