Youth Development
Our youth development programs enrich young people with the tools to graduate high school and become capable and confident adults. We offer afterschool and summer extended learning programs, support in NYC Community Schools, college and work readiness programs, internships, and specialized groups focusing on issues ranging from sexual health to community service. We provide these services right in the schools and communities we serve and take a holistic approach: Our research-based methods help youth ages 5-24 develop cognitive, academic, social-emotional, and physical skills. We introduce them to opportunities they never knew existed, giving them hope for the future and an insight into its possibilities.
Extended Day (Afterschool) Programs, Summer Learning Opportunities, and Community Centers
At more than a dozen sites, our afterschool services go beyond supervision. We provide a meaningful connection to the school day, ensuring that children continue to learn after the school bell rings. Activities may change at the beginning of each semester (September, February, and summer) based on interest and school/community needs; however, all our afterschool programs maintain a mix of homework help and a menu of enrichment activities in the areas of literacy, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), visual arts, performing arts, sports, health and nutrition, leadership, and community service.
We also offer Beacon and Cornerstone programs, which are open to the community and operate in the evenings and on Saturdays. COMPASS (for elementary school students) and SONYC (for middle schoolers) programs operate for three hours after the end of the school day. Our middle school programs include Steps to Success, a curriculum that tracks resiliency areas aligned with high school graduation, funded by Sterling National Bank Charitable Foundation. All programs are DYCD-funded (unless otherwise noted) and staffed by youth work professionals; licensed teachers and other education professionals; and community members who are leaders in their fields, thereby providing local youth with relatable role models.
COMPASS and Extended Day Programs for Elementary Schoolers:
Far Rockaway:
Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy VI (KAPPA VI), P.S. 105 - The Bay School
Flushing:
P.S. 24 - Andrew Jackson Elementary School
Jamaica:
ExpandEd 182 at Samantha Smith Elementary School, P.S. 223 - Lyndon Johnson Elementary School
Richmond Hill:
P.S. 56 - Harry Eichler School, P.S. 273
Springfield Gardens:
The Jackie Robinson School P.S. 15
SONYC (School’s Out New York City) Middle School-Age Programs:
Bayside:
M.S. 74 - Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle School
Corona:
Q311 - Corona Arts & Sciences Academy (CASA)
Flushing:
I.S. 237 - Rachel Carson Middle School, J.H.S. 185 - Edward Bleeker Middle School, Q252 - Queens School of Inquiry (QSI)
Laurelton:
M.S. 289 - Queens United Middle School
Rockaway Park:
M.S. 318 Waterside School for Leadership
Watch SONYC Waterside students’ award-winning video on countering bullying with community and unity.
Springfield Gardens:
M.S. 283 - Preparatory Academy for Writers (PAW)
High School Afterschool Program
Elmhurst:
Beacon and Cornerstone Programs
The Child Center of NY’s Beacon and Cornerstone centers serve as a community hub for children, teens, and adults. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun place for community members of all ages to come together, and to provide them with a healthy, enriching environment through education, recreation, and the arts. In our afterschool programs, we work with young people to build character and set lifelong goals. These centers are truly a place to grow.
Arverne:
Ocean Bay Cornerstone Community Center, Oceanside Cornerstone Community Center
Far Rockaway:
Beach 41st Cornerstone Community Center
Flushing:
Latimer Gardens - Latimer Cornerstone Community Center
Rockaway Beach:
Hammel Houses Cornerstone Community Center
Jamaica:
Beacon Program at Catherine & Count Basie Middle School 72
Manhattan:
Roosevelt Island Beacon at P.S./I.S. 217
South Ozone Park
Alternate High Schools & Internships
The Child Center of NY provides over 800 vocational internships that introduce youth to careers in teaching, field maintenance, health care, and more. We reach young people of all ages, including opportunity youth, ages 16 to 24, who lack a degree or employment. We also serve as the community-based organization at schools for over-age and under-credited students, providing them with a primary contact: a caring and qualified individual whom students can count on for guidance and support.
Alternate High Schools: Brooklyn, Flushing
Internship Programs:
The WIOA Learn & Earn program provides educational and employment-related services to high school seniors between the ages of 16 and 24. The goal is to help youth from low-income families strengthen their math and literacy skills, as well as increase their readiness for higher education and the workforce. With the guidance of supportive adults, participants experience success and begin to envision and plan for a future of academic and work-related achievement.
NDA (Neighborhood Development Area) High School Reading/Internship Program
The NDA program provides tutoring for teens two or more years below grade level in reading and/or math, and internships for those teens to tutor elementary school-age children. This allows struggling high school students the opportunity not only to improve their reading skills, but also to apply what they’ve learned, build their confidence, and give back to the community.
CareerReady Work Learn and Grow (WLG) Youth Employment Program:
CareerReady WLG offers students from select NYC public schools an opportunity to strengthen work readiness skills, explore careers, and receive academic support, including guidance on postsecondary education and the potential to earn college credit. The Child Center of NY is honored to be one of the community-based organizations that partners with schools to offer this life-changing program. With WLG, young people are poised for a fulfilling future that they are proud of and prepared to work for and achieve.
Program Offerings, Eligibility
Locations: Cambria Heights, Far Rockaway, Jamaica, South Ozone Park
The Child Center of NY also offers internships to young adults facing emotional and behavioral challenges through our JobNet program. Please see our Home- and Office-Based Prevention Services page for more information.
The Child Center of NY is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. TTY: 800-662-1220
Community Schools
The Child Center of NY is a leading community-based organization (CBO) at NYC community schools, where students receive high-quality academic instruction and extended learning opportunities. The Child Center works to engage youth and families in every aspect of the school community and offers a variety of services and support – from school-based mental health wellness centers that make mental health an integral part of student’s education to targeted attendance outreach, which is proven to significantly increase high school graduation rates. Our aim is to ensure students can succeed academically, socially, and emotionally, and graduate from high school with skills and confidence.
Brooklyn:
Aspirations Diploma Plus High School, Ebbets Field Middle School, Metropolitan Diploma Plus High School, P.S. 156 Waverly School of the Arts, P.S./I.S. 323 & Mott Hall Bridges Academy
Corona:
P.S. 211 - Elm Tree Elementary School
Far Rockaway:
M.S. 53 Brian Piccolo School, P.S. 197Q - The Ocean School, P.S. 253 - The Randolph Holder School for Social Justice, Village Academy
Jamaica:
August Martin High School, P.S. 182
Rockaway Park:
Rockaway Park High School for Environmental Sustainability
21st Century Community Schools:
The Child Center also serves as lead CBO at Community Schools funded by federal grants (awarded through the New York State Education Department), which are known as 21st Century Schools. Here, too, we implement the Community School model: supporting attendance, engaging students and families, offering social-emotional support, and positively impacting school culture.
Far Rockaway: Academy of Medical Technology, Frederick Douglass Academy VI High School
Jamaica: P.S. 123
The Child Center also partners with these Community Schools to provide on-site school-based mental health services.
Child Center Benefits Access
Our Benefits Access program provides free counseling on entitlements, health insurance, financial guidance, social services, and legal services. On-site health insurance and SNAP (“food stamp”) enrollment available. These services are open to the community for people of all ages, with or without children.
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Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and some evenings; please call individual sites for details; virtual appointments are available.
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Services provided: Assistance in accessing entitlements, health insurance and social services. Free on-site legal services; financial counseling, medical and SNAP (“food stamp”) enrollment, assistance in tax preparation. Referral to social services such as afterschool programs, child care, summer camp, unemployment / employment programs, GED/ESL.
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Special services: On-site health insurance and SNAP (formerly “food stamp”) enrollment, Medicaid, and other types of health insurance from NYSOH (New York State of Health), with direct linkage to the Human Resource Administration, enabling families to obtain their medical and/or food stamp benefits within a 30-day period.
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Languages spoken: English, Spanish. In addition, we can provide services to clients in any language through the use of an interpretation service.
In-School Counseling & School-Based Mental Health
Our in-school counseling programs overcome common barriers to mental health treatment by offering services to young people in the convenient space of their schools.
We also offer counseling at school-based mental health wellness centers at the below schools, including Community Schools at which The Child Center of NY serves as the lead CBO (community-based organization). These wellness centers are funded by the New York State Department of Education.
Our presence in the schools gives us the ability to observe students where they are every day and have direct access to the people in their everyday lives, such as teachers and guidance counselors. In addition, when families are juggling multiple jobs and kids on a low income, having a child receive services at school instead of at an outside clinic can make all the difference. It also counteracts some of the stigma.
The Child Center’s SBMH programs provide services on three levels: mental health educational services to the entire school community, selective services with children who might be at risk, and targeted services in the form of therapy.
Explore locations where we offer in-school and school-based mental health services.
Explore our individual and family counseling options at schools and community schools across Queens and Long Island. (COMBINE LOCATIONS INTO ONE LIGHTBOX & DELETE)
We offer Individual & Family Counseling at J.H.S 185 in Flushing. This is a satellite of our Macari Family Wellness Center, serving J.H.S. 185 students right where they are every day.
Positive Character & Health Development
The Child Center of NY empowers students to be responsible and active citizens. We do this by providing and promoting opportunities to contribute to the local community at all our programs, as well as through specialized programs on topics such as sexual health and service learning. These programs help equip young people with the knowledge, emotional support, and critical thinking skills that help them grow into adults who are committed to giving back to their communities and able to rely on their own good judgment.
Comprehensive Pregnancy Prevention Program: Program Information
RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities): Program Information, Locations
RBI is an initiative of Major League Baseball, in partnership with community-based organizations. Since 2015, The Child Center of NY has been an RBI community partner, providing young people, ages 6-14, in our communities the opportunity to experience the game of baseball and develop the values that go along with it.
Steps to Success: Program Goal & Results
The Child Center of NY is proud to offer the evidence-based Steps to Success curriculum at all eight of our SONYC afterschool programs for middle schoolers, as well as our Beacon and Cornerstone centers. S2S tracks the six resiliency areas aligned with high school graduation: valuing education; academic confidence; positive connections; stress; health and well-being; and intrinsic motivation. Our S2S teams holistically support middle schoolers’ academic and social-emotional skill development to ensure students have the tools and support they need to excel in these areas.
Contact: Tiffany Tacury, Associate Vice President of Youth Development tiffanytacury@childcenterny.org
Steps to Success is made possible at The Child Center of NY with funding from Sterling National Bank Charitable Foundation.
Stop the Violence Peer Leadership Program (Violence Prevention, Leadership Promotion): Program Goals & Locations
The Child Center’s Stop the Violence Peer Leadership Program provides middle schoolers with training in restorative justice approaches to resolving conflicts. Restorative justice is a constructive and more equitable response to resolving youth issues, such as interpersonal conflicts or breaking rules.
Peer leaders—called peacekeepers—tackle real-life situations such as bullying, violence in the community, and homelessness, and work with their peers to develop solutions. These efforts prove successful because they come from credible messengers—the youth themselves. Participants come to see themselves as leaders, able to make a difference.
We are grateful to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office for its anchor support of this program.
Youth Mentoring Initiative: Program Information & Locations
With a grant from the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, YMI provides middle and high school-age youth with positive role models in a safe, encouraging environment. The program’s overarching goal is to promote positive changes in young people’s attitudes toward themselves, the people around them, and their futures. To achieve this goal, our YMI staff assists youth in exploring college and careers, supports them through school transitions or new school environments, cultivates an ethic of service to their communities, and encourages the development of leadership skills.
Each participant is partnered with a mentor based on compatibility and meets with their mentor both in groups and individually.