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WYSS is currently helping 4,000 children, youth & families in the Greater Waterbury Area.
Program Highlights Computer Lab

The Computer Resource & Learning Center-a 16 work station computer lab available for tutoring and providing educational tools for all ages

 

E-Project

E-Project-youth entrepreneurial program teaching youth business, labor, computer & marketing skills along with creativity, commitment & passion

 

Our programs and services...

The accomplishments of Waterbury Youth Service System, Inc. begin with our efforts to raise awareness about the challenges facing our youth today, particularly at-risk youth. For over thirty-one years, through our programming we continue to address these challenges and respond to the corresponding needs of the community. Our focus is on enhancing the assets that the youth and their parent/caregiver possess, as well as giving them the tools needed to deal with today’s issues.

It is our goal to provide assistance to youth and their families in all aspects of their lives; it is with this purpose WYSS programs & services are separated into 4 categories; Opportunities & Leadership, Support & Guidance, Residential and in addition to our grassroots, direct social service work, an Intermediary Organization.

 

OPPORTUNITIES & LEADERSHIP

Year Round Youth Employment, Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Summer Youth Employment, are work based learning projects funded through the state. These programs include 6 weeks of paid work experience in the summer and youth development programming during the school year.

School Readiness is our off-site National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited program for 3 and 4 year olds focusing on kindergarten readiness.

Linking Academics To Life is a unique, after-school program for Truancy, Juvenile Review Board referred and vulnerable or underprivileged youth. This incentive based program helps disadvantaged youth make a link between their education and their life needs.

Youth Teaching Youth is a year round program that assists the community by bringing together adults and youth to address the problem of underage drinking.

Silence The Violence program is run offsite at the Walsh Orange Walnut (WOW) Neighborhood Center. The program focuses on providing a positive support system to assist youth in gaining knowledge in violence prevention, community involvement and youth empowerment.

Support For Self-Determination /POWER (People Off Welfare Earning Resources) is a unique, training program focusing on the proper care and safety of children in our community.

Summer Youth Camp for children ages 3-14 located at the Kiwanis Camp facility in Wolcott, CT. Transportation is provided.

Computer Resource and Learning Center is available for tutoring, provides educational tools for all participants and is open to all programs. Tutoring is available for all grade levels. Our curriculums and tutors are overseen by a Program Coordinator and a certified teacher/administrator.

 

SUPPORT & GUIDANCE

Truancy Prevention Program’s goal is to reduce truancy and unexcused absences, which will encourage completion in school and furthering education. The service includes home and school visitation, supportive counseling, referral, advocacy, parental involvement, tutoring and case management.

One on One Mentoring program trains, assists and supports volunteers who are willing to mentor youth in foster care. Department of Children and Families (DCF) committed youth ages 14 – 21 are matched with a mentor.

Youth and Family Emergency Services provides crisis counseling and family therapy that is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Community Youth Support Services offers respite care and clinical assessments for children and families referred by DCF.

Safe Place partners with the Waterbury Fire Department to re-establish the “Safe Place" network. Identified by a yellow and black diamond shaped sign, it provides immediate help and safety to young people; available 24 hours a day.

Social Coaching is a program that provides mentors for youth ages 6 years old to 14 years old. The mentor meets with the youth weekly; building a relationship and helping the youth develop social skills.

Family Ties is a parent education and support program that provides classes to help parents/caregivers meet the challenges of parenting.

Independent Living Program is supervised, off site apartments for adolescents 16 to 21 who are under guardianship of DCF.

Prospect Youth Services is assisted by WYSS, provides a fun and safe social atmosphere for youth that reside in Prospect, CT. WYSS is the fiduciary.

After School Program for Juvenile Court Referred Youth is a twelve week after-school program open Monday –Friday that offers services for middle and high school students.

 

RESIDENTIAL

Safe Home/Rainbow House is a short term residential home for abused and/or neglected children placed by Department of Children and Families.

 

INTERMEDIARY

WYSS has expanded its scope of service to embrace an added role, that of an Intermediary Organization. This role is one of the legislatively mandated functions that youth service bureaus should undertake, as outlined in the CT General Statutes. Currently under the purview of the Intermediary Role are the following:

Waterbury Prevention Policy Board (PPB), of which WYSS is the fiduciary, is a community collaborative of Waterbury Stakeholders, working together to increase positive youth development.

Family Focus Partnership (FFP) is the local system of care collaborative effort between local agencies, organizations, community members and families. The purpose to assure that the statewide System of Care functions to best meet the mental health needs of children and families in the community.

Youth Development Advisory Council (YDAC) is a subgroup of the PPB, charged with addressing positive youth development, usually during out of school time. This group works with advocacy, professional development, program quality, evaluation, and program sustainability.

Hispanic Day Care Association (HDCA) is the largest Spanish Day Care Association in the state offering support and education to Professional Home Day Care Providers.

Children’s Mental Health Planning Grant to develop a long-term, sustainable and realistic plan to meet critical needs of Waterbury at-risk youth; is a sub-grant of the PPB.