Get Involved
All volunteers will be provided free training and must submit to a criminal background check.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR Y-NOW CHILDREN OF PRISONERS!
Y-NOW, the mentoring component of YMCA Safe Place Services, has begun recruiting volunteers for our 8th Children of Prisoners program.
Y-NOW youth participants are 11-15, living in the Louisville metro area, with at least one incarcerated parent. The stigma of having a parent incarcerated means that these youth often feel shame, blame, fear, ridicule, and embarrassment. They often struggle academically, and have a difficult time trusting adults. Studies show that children of prisoners are 7x more likely to become incarcerated themselves one day. We believe these youth deserve a chance to become productive members of our community. But we need your help to break the cycle.
Volunteers support all phases of the Y-NOW program — youth enrollment, Departure, a 4-day camp, and Welcome Home Celebration. Our primary need however is for folks to serve as mentors – listening and providing encouragement, support, and stability so that these youth might begin to create a future that is distinctly different from the past. Volunteering with the Y-NOW program is a great way to gain insight into the lives of today’s youth and to connect with people from all over our community.
Volunteer positions begin July 2011 through September 2012. No experience is needed, just heart and commitment. Training is provided.
For more information, please call Rebecca Hentz at 502-635-4393 or email: rhentz@ymcalouisville.org
Watch Adewale and Andy’s mentoring story.
Community Outreach
Volunteers play an important and unique role in the Safe Place Program as educators, Safe Place pick up volunteers or maintaining our Safe Place sites. For more information, please contact Rita Murphy at rmurphy@ymcalouisville.org or 635-4410.
Street Outreach
We provide street level communication with this community’s most vulnerable teens that are struggling with a host of issues and are not aware of how to access our help. Volunteers join the Street Outreach staff during a 7 – 11p.m. shift on either a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night. For more information, please contact Stacy Meadows at smeadows@ymcalouisville.org or 635-4402.
Donate Now
You can make a contribution to YMCA Safe Place Services right now using our online donation system on the YMCA of Greater Louisville website. Please select the YMCA Safe Place Annual Giving Campaign once you being the process to make a gift online.
