The purpose of the Schenectady County Youth Bureau is to enrich and empower youth ages 0-21 of Schenectady County through positive youth development. By fostering collaboration between local organizations and assessing the needs of the community, the Youth Bureau promotes the mental and physical well-being of, not only at-risk youth, but the overall youth population as well.
In 2020, Schenectady County Connects was formed and merged the services of the Schenectady County Job Training Agency and Youth Bureau. Schenectady County Connects provides universal access to the community to promote self-sustainability and economic growth through a skilled, quality workforce and partners with local agencies to ensure that tomorrow’s workforce has the supports and programming needed to thrive.
Youth Programming through Schenectady County Connects
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- Employment Skills Training
- School District Initiatives: partnerships with County school districts to provide augmented career development training and develop post-graduation pathways toward sustainability.
- Work Experience and Internships
- Summer Youth Employment Program - applications will be available in March 2022
- WIOA Youth - Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding and partnerships
- Juvenile Justice Initiatives - creating community engagement and investment in at-risk youth while building foundational employment skills.
- Independent Living Skills Development
- Partnership with Children and Family Services to educate youth, particularly youth engaged in the foster care system, on the skills needed to live well independently.
- Employment Skills Training
- Youth Bureau Funded Community Initiatives
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One of the responsibilities of the Schenectady County Youth Bureau is to allocate Youth Development, Runaway Homeless Youth Act, and Youth Sports Education Funding to agencies throughout the community. These agencies apply for funding annually and undergo a competitive Request for Proposal process to be awarded funding. These programs provide a variety of opportunities to Schenectady County youth including sports, arts, environmental studies, STEM, and mentoring.
2023 Youth Bureau Funded Agencies:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region - 2023 Schenectady Mentoring
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady - Youth Development Programming
- COCOA House Inc. - Children's Mentoring
- CREATE - CREATE Together
- Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region - Today's Girl, Tomorrow's Leader
- Hamilton Hill Arts Center - Project Artreach
- Jack Falvo III Foundation - Jack's Place
- miSci (Schenectady Museum Association) - STEM Fund at miSci
- Safe Inc of Schenectady - The Delores MacIntosh House
- Schenectady Ring of Hope Boxing
- Schoharie River Center Inc. - Environmental Study Team
- Town of Duanesburg - Recreation
- Town of Niskayuna - Recreation
- Working Group on Girls of Schenectady
- YWCA of Schenectady - Services to Women and Families - Sheltered Children
- Youth Bureau Advisory Board Members
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- Lori Bennett, Children's Behavioral Health Coordinator, Schenectady County Community Services
- Brandy Bouldin, Commissioner of Social Services, Schenectady County
- Rachel Conn, Executive Director, Hamilton Hill Arts Center
- Ginni Egan, Executive Director, Young Parents United
- Timothy Ferrara, Deputy Director, Schenectady County Probation
- Ashli Fragomeni, Executive Director, Girls Inc.
- Scott Hayden, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady
- Andrew Katz, Campus Director, Schenectady Jewish Community Center
- Abbe Kovacik, Executive Director, Brightside Up
- Simone Miranda, Board Co-President, Working Group on Girls
- Lea Montalto-Rook, Executive Director, Big Brothers, Big Sisters
- Sarah Pechar, Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension
- Robin Romines, Shelter Coordinator, Safe Inc. of Schenectady
- Lauren Trunko, Director of Women & Family Services, YWCA