The Southeast Newport News Center for Youth was developed
in 1990 in an effort to provide comprehensive, multi-disciplinary prevention
and intervention services to the youth and families of Southeast Newport
News. The concept of the Center was the result of a four year
self-assessment and planning effort by a coalition of fifteen public and
private human service agencies concerned that service delivery efforts
lacked integration and responsiveness to the special needs of young people.
The major focus of this planning was on replicating the Door, a nationally
acclaimed multi-faceted treatment and education center for adolescents in
New York City. Human service agencies located existing human resources as
necessary to staff the Center and the only new monies needed were for the
administration, facility acquisition and service enhancements. The Executive
Director began employment in September 1990.
Year One activities focused on developing the governance
system for the Center, developing the mission and goals statement,
establishing a mechanism for development and review of long range and
strategic plans, resource development, securing participating agency
commitments, setting up administrative offices, developing the professional
staff organization and evaluating potential facility locations. In
furtherance of this goal, the City of Newport News, the Newport News School
System and Center management agreed in concept to the Center, through a
contractual arrangement, providing coordination and support to a city-wide
youth-risk prevention initiative. This community driven, holistic approach
was designed to bring together youth, families, businesses, volunteers and
service providers to ensure timely access for residents to available
services. It was noted that the two primary populations would be: high risk
youth, ages 13 through 18, and their families; and high risk children, ages
6 through 12, and their families.
In the second year of operation, the Center received
criticism from the community, who all felt that citizens from the Southeast
community had been excluded from the planning process. As a result of these
concerns, the Board and Management redirected their efforts, holding a
retreat with the NAACP and concerned community leaders. The planning
committee developed a revised organizational structure for the Center that
was adopted by the retreat participants, retired by the Board of Directors
and approved by the community at a town meeting attended by more than 200
residents. Attempts to locate a suitable family continued and in June of
1991 a Southeast community citizen group recommended a facility adjacent to
Huntington Middle School. The site was renovated with the assistance of the
Architectural Firm of Rankin, Wildman and Brezinski Pro Bana. Funds were
also secured from Newport News CSBG to complete the renovation of the
building which provides 13,000 square feet of modern problem space,
specifically designed on the delivery of integrated multi-disciplinary
services as well as a full size gym.
