Extended Education receives $750,000 grant to launch TCU YOUth program

Fort Worth, TX

1/22/2007

The TCU Office of Extended Education has been awarded a $750,000 federal grant to partner with local non-profit organizations through the TCU YOUth Program. The program, designed by the Faith and Life Program at TCU, aims to work through community partner organizations to address the needs of area youth ages 12 to 21, focusing on gang involvement, violence, child abuse and neglect. Opportunities for youth involvement and development during the three-year grant include a summer student internship program, a speaker's bureau and service projects.

"Our overall objective is to strengthen community non-profit and faith-based organizations who serve youth so that we can help our community address issues and open the door to new venues for research," said Judy Shannon, TCU YOUth Program coordinator.

As one of one hundred national recipients of the grant, TCU YOUth brings a new depth of programming to the Tarrant County area. Leadership training for volunteers and staff of the program will allow targeted assistance to each of the participating non-profit organizations. Community partners include the Trinity Brazos Area of the Christian Church, Volunteer Center of North Texas, Tarrant County Youth Collaboration, H.O.P.E. Tutoring and HOPE Farms, Inc. Initial developments in the program will involve a needs assessment of community youth issues and to determine the most critical needs for these partners.

The program carries the banner, "Youth Organizations Unite, TCU Helps." According to Shannon, the concept centers on community and family, consistent with the TCU vision of "accelerating our connectedness with the greater community, Fort Worth and the world."

The YOUth Program Alliance, consisting of representatives from each partner organization, community and local government leaders and youth representatives, will meet quarterly to coordinate responses to specific community needs.

"We hope that in this process we will identify and establish valuable development courses and consultants who can continue to strengthen non-profits for many years after the completion of the three-year grant," said Shannon.

For more information on TCU YOUth, visit www.youth.tcu.edu or call 817-257-7132.


Media contact:
Shawn Kornegay
Asst. director of communications
817-257-5061
s.kornegay@tcu.edu