YOUTH EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Training and mentoring youth in the development of critical thinking skills to help them discern truth and make healthy decisions concerning real-life issues. Youth develop their innate gifts and abilities through relevant service opportunities and learn to impact their world through safe, fun, drug and alcohol free, social, and recreational engagement of their peers.
■ CHILDREN’S SUMMER PROGRAM: provides youth nutritious meals, snacks, and safe, fun, recreational and educational activities in multiple public parks and locations during the summer months.
■ COMMUNITY SERVICE MENTORING: Provides youth opportunity to fulfill court mandated and/or volunteer community service hours under supervision. GYFF mentors help participants discern and make positive life changing decisions and develop sound moral character.
■ FOCUS TEAM: Followers Of Christ United in Service To Evangelize All Mankind is an educational and training program that prepares individuals, youth, and their families, to actively engage the world around them as salt and light.
■ IMPRESSIONS OF GRACE: Youth learn to impact their culture through positive messaging by using principles of free enterprise to market imprinted products and other services to their peers and community.
■ IDENTOGO: FBI clearance live scan digital fingerprinting, fingerprint hard-cards, passport photos and other identity related services needed for employment, security, and travel.
■ PLCEA: PENNSYLVANIA’S LOCAL COMMUNITIES EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Unites and empowers Pennsylvania’s Parents, Students, School Directors, and Educators, to pursue excellence in achieving education fundamentals while standing to support and defend our God given Constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.
CORE PRINCIPLES
1. Parents have the first right and highest responsibility in all things concerning the education of their children.
2. The educational interests of parents and their children are best served by local community schools under the control of local
autonomous boards of school directors who are elected from and held accountable by members of their local community.
3. Support for all forms of our children’s education, whether public, private, parochial, cyber-charter, or home school.
4. Prioritization of personalized student-centered achievement of education fundamentals.
5. Foundation of a historic Judeo-Christian worldview.
6. Foundation of God-given constitutional rights and freedoms.
7. American exceptionalism built upon equality of opportunity, personal responsibility, and the understanding that no student due
to their race, skin color, or background, are inherently good or bad, guilty or innocent, or more or less capable than others.
■ THE NET OUTREACH: Youth develop entrepreneurial skills through hands-on operation of a four-story youth and community center that includes a restaurant/café called “The Net Café”.
■ UNDERAGE ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS EDUCATION PROGRAM: Comprehensive multi-week reoccurring prevention education programming offered to youth and young adults who receive citations and/or other disciplinary actions for their consumption, possession, purchase, sale-distribution, transportation, brewing/manufacturing of alcohol and other drugs. Written confirmation of successful program completion is provided directly to each participant’s referring Judge or legal authority.
Successful completion of the program requires:
● timely sober attendance to four three-hour classes over a consecutive four-week period
● attendance by parent or legal guardian to first class
● completion of program drug and alcohol knowledge pre-test
● active participation in all four classes and active learning exercises
● completion of a two-page topic specific essay submitted at the third class
● completion of a one-page topic specific essay submitted at the fourth class
● successful passing of program drug and alcohol knowledge post-test at final class
■ URBAN MISSIONS TRAINING: Youth and adults participate in service-learning opportunities to gain practical experience through hands-on application of their gifts and abilities in service to youth and families in our local community. Local missions and service opportunities exist for individual youth, adults, families, and youth/adult groups from churches and organizations. Opportunities include service days, service weekends, and week-long periods to complete physical work projects, support ongoing outreach programs and to obtain relevant training in how to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
■ YOUTH AND FAMILY COUNSELING: Cognitive behavioral therapy from a biblical foundation intended to help individuals cultivate and maintain healthy relationships and contend with struggles that arise from them. Counseling sessions must be scheduled in advance and are private pay only. (not billed to insurance)
Issues addressed and coordinated services include:
● anxiety and depression
● crisis intervention
● financial literacy and development of personal financial and estate plans
● drug and alcohol use, abuse, and addiction
● management of anger and other destructive behaviors
● marriage and family relationships
● Spiritual growth and development
● Drug and Alcohol Testing provides single or perpetual urinalysis, hair, breathalyzer and
comprehensive lab testing for minors and adults. Testing is monitored by same gender-
appropriate staff and written certification of results are provided to both the individual and
authorized third parties. Testing is scheduled in advance and is private pay. Testing may be
scheduled by individuals, parents, employers, schools, and other nonprofit organizations.
BENEVOLENT SUPPORTS
Meets needs of individuals, families, and organizations through our direct intervention. Supports collaboration with new and existing efforts with leadership development & building infrastructure.
■ BESOR BROOK: Provides emergency shelter, physical resources, and coordination of supports to homeless youth who are identified in public schools and throughout our community.
■ CARING CASES: Provides emergency resources to victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking.
■ HOMELESS RESOURCES: Provides emergency shelter, food, clothing, and case management of needed resources to the homeless with an emphasis on youth/families and veterans.
THE BATTLEGROUND
■ THE BATTLEGROUND TRAINING CENTER: Renovation of a two-story 14,000-square foot building into a total health training center that utilizes a holistic approach to physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
■ PERMIT PARKING: 35 low-cost permit parking spots available for lease with all proceeds directly funding GYFF programming.
■ PHYSICAL TRAINING AND NUTRITION: Provides education programs for individuals and groups of all ages and abilities for the development of athletic skills and improvement of fundamental physical health and performance.
■ SELF DEFENSE: Provides training that teaches the importance of situational awareness and practical hands-on physical techniques to guard the safety of themselves and their families.