October 2016

Beyond The Surface.
The Real Life Stories of the Youth Project

The Youth Project is honored to work with so many brave teenagers, willing to share their lives with us.  Each month, we'll bring you firsthand accounts of pain, trauma and hope -- from the teens themselves. Here are a few of their stories.
15 y/o female -  She and her Youth Project counselor are working on developing healthy coping skills.  She has engaged in self harm in previous years and struggles with depression.  She is showing great progress in engaging in healthy behaviors.
16 y/o male - student is struggling with sobriety.  He is working with his Youth Project counselor, learning to make healthy lifestyle choices and improve academic performance.
17 y/o female - student has faced many traumas, including the incarceration of her father and her older brother's suicide. She struggles with maintaining stable family relationships and is afraid of what it will be like to reach the milestones her brother didn't live to meet. Youth Project counselor is helping to develop better skills in her family and coping skills to handle the grief of her brother's death.
12 y/o female -  junior high student is adjusting to a new school and community.  She is working on social skills and has expressed deep appreciation for the help she is receiving from her Youth Project counselor.
15 y/o female-   student has been in and out of the foster care system throughout most of her life. She is currently residing with distant relatives while her parents are incarcerated.  She is in a new school and separated from her siblings.  She is working with her Youth Project counselor on healthy ways to express emotions and deal with her anger.  
Boys Group: Ten high school boys participating are showing great improvement with their communication skills as well as their ability to cope with frustrations and struggles at home.  In a short period of time, the boys have bonded and have reported looking forward to weekly meetings.

The Youth Project is celebrating 16 years of successfully providing free services to teens in the Santa Clarita Valley. Since their doors opened in 2000, the Youth Project has assisted more than 33,000 local families, including 33,000 youth and 6,000 adults.   
To learn more about us and how you can help visit www.HelpNotHassle.org