Blog

Today, May 10 is “Thank a Youth Worker Day,” so we’re saying thanks to staff from our PAL Coalition and Family & School Services programs, the front line in our work with children and youth. Daily, our counselors and child advocacy center teams work with kids and families as well, but staff from FSS and PAL lives in the epicenter of our work with youth.

So we want to recognize their passion, commitment, and contributions to the children they work with in and out of schools.

FSS team members work with students from Meyzeek Middle in Louisville and Hazelwood Middle in New Albany, Ind., providing structured after school programs aimed at building character, resilience, and fostering academic and life success. PAL works with young people in Park Hill, Algonquin, and Old Louisville to reduce substance use and abuse, and build connections with school, community and home.

PAL also oversees an after-school community center at Lynnhurst United Church of Christ, where students get homework help, learn about advocacy, play games, build resilience, and work on relationship skills.

Both programs – appropriately – have won praise and accolades from educators, volunteers, evaluators, and others, and we think the world of them as well.

We’re fortunate to host these programs, but also to benefit from their exceptional talents. For Family & School Services:

• Robbie Fenwick – interim director
• Bobby Cortes
• Ashley Friedrich
• Andrew Gelburd
• Theresa Thompson
• Nate Thumas
• Andrea Wynn
• Kameron White
• Sarah Schubert

From the PAL Coalition:

• Tomy Baker – director
• Katie Kone

Thank a Youth Worker Day began in Indiana and has spread to be a worldwide movement, a joint effort of community partners, youth work organizations, youth and child care workers and others to celebrate the incredible work and contributions of the people who work closely with youth.

It’s a time to recognize their passionate and compassionate contributions and the relationships they build with youth through mentorship, tutoring, and most important, listening. Our FSS and PAL teams not only support and help their students, but they also are their confidantes and partners in building a better, stronger, more successful future.

Theirs is a hugely important role in the lives of the young people they serve – helping to improve their well-being, connecting them to one another and to their community.

So, thank you to our colleagues from FSS and PAL, and all who work to help youth build on their character, abilities, and strengths.