East Liberty nonprofit Youth Enrichment Services Named 2019 Champion in Action
“Trib Total Media recognizes the power of the mentorship provided to young people in the Pittsburgh region by Youth Enrichment Services.”
— Jennifer Bertetto, Trib Total Media President and CEO
By Courier Editor, March 4, 2019
The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Youth Enrichment Services (YES), a nonprofit providing socially and economically at-risk youth the opportunity to achieve success through participation in mentorship, education and enrichment programs, has been named a 2019 Champion in Action in the category of Youth Leadership. The award, announced jointly by Citizens Bank, WPXI-TV, Trib Total Media and Pittsburgh Cares, includes $35,000 in unrestricted funding as well as promotional and volunteer support for the organization’s outstanding work, according to a release.
Youth Enrichment Services (YES) provides empowerment, experiential opportunities, academic enrichment and summer employment as positive pathways to future success. YES partners with local organizations to create synergy and generates transformative stories, national accolades and positive research outcomes.
OUR STUDENTS
Our mission at YES is to continue to grow and expand opportunities to invest in as many Pittsburgh youth and families as possible. Out of this mission comes our core belief that there are no throw-away kids. We support any students who express interest in, and meet the criteria for, our Mentoring Partnerships and Diversion and Restorative programs. We are persistent and serious about supporting all students, even those with the most challenging cases, as we deem students to be our greatest and most valuable resource. Students drive and lead our programming initiatives, inform the critical work in which we engage, demonstrate strength in overcoming obstacles, and further evidence our impact.
STUDENT PATHWAYS
Students enter YES through two pathways: Mentoring Partnerships or Diversion and Restorative Practices. Mentoring Partnerships offers students a host of academic, workforce, and mentorship-related program opportunities, while Diversion and Restorative Practices offers justice- (or pre-justice-) system involved youth alternatives to detention and intentional mentoring support. Regardless of how students journey through YES, the objective is for all students to improve their academic profiles, reframe their self-concepts, and build a stronger sense of identity and commitment to their communities.
STUDENT PATHWAYS
MENTORING PARTNERSHIPS
DIVERSION & RESTORATIVE PRACTICES
D2000
EDS
DP3
YEAR-ROUND
ACADEMIC
PROGRAMMING
WORKFORCE
PROGRAMMING
ONCE DONE, TRANSITION INTO MP PROGRAMMING
MENTORSHIP
PROGRAMMING
SCHOOL YEAR + SUMMER
GENERAL YES SERVICES
MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT
POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
2-YEAR, 4-YEAR, VOCATIONAL INSTITUTION
BECOME
Our emphasis is on mentorship and relationship building with the goal of empowering students to do more than survive but thrive. While each student experience is unique, YES’ ultimate goal is for all students to obtain meaningful educational and career opportunities where they become their own best resource, build wealth, positively impact their communities, and return to YES to pay-it-forward for the next generation of leaders.
GENERAL YES SERVICES
SELF-SUFFICIENT RESOURCE
CHANGE AGENT IN THE COMMUNITY
YES ROLE MODEL
PAYING-IT-FORWARD
WEALTH BUILDER
OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS
YES is committed to ensuring students gain access to post-secondary educational opportunities and resources. Students have attended over 16 different colleges and universities across the country, including University of Pittsburgh, New York University, and plenty of other institutions. Below are examples of colleges and universities that our dynamic freshmen attend.