Chicago Youth Centers, a nonprofit focused on early learning and programs for kids and teens, used their Healing Illinois funds to support out-of-school programming and throw their annual sneaker ball.
To read part 2 of this story, about teen racial healing workshops and a camp for Teen Council leaders, click here.
HOW CHICAGO YOUTH CENTERS SERVES LOCAL YOUTH AND FAMILIES
Chicago Youth Centers offers family engagement, out-of-school-time (OST) programs, and early learning education for youth in under-resourced areas of Chicago, including the neighborhoods of Bridgeport, Bronzeville, Humboldt Park, North Lawndale, Riverdale/Altgeld Gardens, South Shore, and Calumet Heights.
“We have 20 different locations throughout the city of Chicago, and we serve 1,400 children and 1,100 families within our bigger network,” says Maggie Shiflett, CYC’s Director of Corporate and Foundation Partnerships. “Our staff size total is around just over 120-125.”
With such an extensive network, grants like Healing Illinois’ are needed to fund CYC’s ongoing activities. Their out-of-school time programs and special events bring joy to the youth that participate, providing them opportunities for social-emotional bonding and personal growth.
WHY OUT-OF-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES MATTER FOR DEVELOPMENT
Chicago Youth Centers offers out-of-school activities for youth ages 6-18 across nine locations. OST programs are offered during the school year for three hours per day and during the summer for eight hours per day for five days a week.
Participating in these extracurricular activities gives CYC’s kids and teens a more well-rounded life and allows them to explore the options that are available to them, while teaching them new skills they can bring with them into adulthood.
“We provide an array of programs and services that give our children opportunities, that help them kind of identify the possibilities they have for their own future,” says Roberta Douglas, Center Director at CYC-Rebecca K. Crown Youth Center. “Just giving them the opportunity to learn new things. And maybe that would kind of ignite something inside of them to say, ‘Oh, maybe I wanna pursue this, or maybe I wanna pursue that.’”
The activities span everything from music to workouts to general wellness. CYC has offered violin, guitar, choir, theatre, gardening, and Double Dutch in the past. Other OST enrichment program categories include STEAM makers labs, culinary class, ceramics, drawing and cosmetology. To keep the programs interesting, CYC will often bring in outside consultants or educators to teach them.
The Teen Council president at the South Shore location shared some of their favorite out-of-school activities: “I like to do the Double Dutch activity. A while ago, I used to play violin. … And something else I like is, we have basketball skills here.”
SECOND ANNUAL SNEAKER BALL
Chicago Youth Centers also threw their second annual sneaker ball, which gave teens a chance to get together and have a little fun. The teens showed off their outfits, shoes, sashes and crowns and got a chance to strike a pose for some memorable group photos. (You can see the full slideshow on the Chicago Youth Centers’ Instagram page.)
Anjel Williams, Program Manager at CYC-Rebecca K. Crown Youth Center, shares that big events like this are important for developing teen leadership skills and comradery between the many CYC locations. They also allow the teens to have a voice in shaping their activities.
“Our teens had feedback and input. They were able to throw their own teen sneaker ball. They took leadership on that. They were able to go to camp and do rock climbing, do archery, do all these things as a team.”
To learn more about how CYC helps to build up teen leaders, continue reading Part 2 of their Healing Illinois story.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CHICAGO YOUTH CENTERS AND HEALING ILLINOIS
Those interested in learning more about Chicago Youth Centers and out-of-school programs can visit the following resources:
Chicago Youth Centers is one of 184 grantees who received Healing Illinois funds for 2023-2024. You can view more sub-grantee stories on the Healing Illinois website and Healing Illinois Instagram page, as well as view past and upcoming Healing Illinois events.