The Friendship Club
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Mission Statement
Bright Futures for Youth is a community-focused nonprofit organization committed to addressing the ever-changing needs of youth, from sixth-graders to those in their mid-20s in Nevada County. Teens and adolescents face many challenges and many changes that are part of growing up. It’s a time to figure out who they are, what they value and hope to achieve. A little extra support, tools and resources along the way can make a big difference and help youth overcome obstacles. There certainly are more challenges today than when we started in 1995. Bright Futures for Youth, created by the merger of The Friendship Club and NEO in summer 2020, has three programs to address the issues and help youth in numerous ways, from after-school programs and a drop-in Youth Center to ensuring access to services. Our focus areas are health and wellness, healthy relationships, goal setting, self-awareness, self-sufficiency and community connectedness. We’re about helping youth today to ensure a better future for tomorrow. Please learn more about our programs, our mission, our successes – and how you can help.
About This Cause
The Friendship Club engages, educates and empowers girls at risk in Nevada County. We do this through the following key programs and services: (1) Academic Year program: In this program, we engage participating girls at weekly after school meetings that include homework time, character education, guests speakers on various educational topics, and special activities. We also offer monthly cultural and educational field trips designed to expose the girls to the work world, interesting people and topics, and to have fun. We provide educational support, especially toward high school graduation and helping them develop a plan for after high school. Two credentialed teachers are employed to direct and develop the middle and high school programs. (2) College Knowledge and Scholarship Program: Girls begin visiting college campuses as early as the sixth grade and continue to attend college and vocational field trips throughout high school. It is our intention that every girl who graduates from our program has a plan in place for after high school. To that end, girls spend time developing their portfolios throughout high school that includes a record of their activities, community service projects, leadership positions, jobs, etc. During their junior and senior years they work closely with our high school director to complete their standardized test preparation and tests, scholarship packets, FAFSA forms for student financial aid, and college applications. Furthermore, we take girls on individual college visits and orientations as appropriate. The Friendship Club helps with college application fees if necessary, advocates for the girls and helps them navigate the entire college application process, often spending time communicating directly with the colleges and universities. Girls are eligible to receive a college scholarship from The Friendship Club and when appropriate, The Friendship Club is able to connect girls with donors who are able to provide additional support for college expenses. Those relationships, while initially set up through the Club are then between the girl and the donor and not a part of The Friendship Club. (3) Leadership program: A select group of girls from all grades are involved in our leadership program. These girls spend additional time providing community service and further developing their leadership and public speaking skills. Some examples of community service activities include making needed items for military troops and wounded soldiers, helping at community and Club events, planning and hosting a fundraising dinner for The Friendship Club, and working with elementary students at school events. (4) Summer program: We host five summer camps designed to engage girls in leadership and team-building activities, continue to develop healthy relationship skills, and continue to expose them to new and interesting ideas and places. We also hold up to ten summer clinics designed to delve into an area of interest in a more meaningful way. Clinics are between 3 and 5 days and range from 3-6 hours per day. Fun Filled Fridays include a physical component and the girls prepare and eat a healthy lunch together. The afternoons are spent in our “bookfriends” program designed to foster the love of reading in our girls. (5) Mentoring support: Girls are matched throughout their time at The Friendship Club (up to seven years) with both short-term and long-term mentors. “Find Your Passion” mentors are matched with a girl for approximately 3 months and explore an area of interest. Friendship Angels make a more long-term commitment and usually are matched with their girl for the duration of her involvement in the Club. (6) Basic needs and clothing: Eligible girls are also provided with basic clothing needs as deemed appropriate by the staff. Angels usually are asked to take their girls shopping (The Friendship Club pays for this) two times per year. NEO offers a fun, safe and supervised place for youth and young adults, ages 11-25, to spend their time after school, build friendships, learn new skills and discover their passions. Several hundred youth participate in NEO every year. NEO provides leadership opportunities, summer programs, music events and in-school activities. Nevada County, like many others statewide, is dealing with an increasing number of teenagers and young adults experiencing homelessness and housing instability. It’s a hard-to-count – and connect with – population, since many young people may couch-surf, stay with relatives or friends, or live in a car. The SAFE (Stability, Access, Foundation, Empowerment) program is committed to finding, and helping, these youth. Many youth experiencing homelessness do not have access to local or state funding, or simply don’t know what services are available. And few nonprofit organizations in the region are able to help. SAFE fills the gap by connecting youth who have alternative, unpredictable or inconsistent housing access with community resources and well-trained professionals. SAFE helps with homelessness in Nevada County by providing: Basic needs, such as food, clothing, housing Education and training, including transitioning to college and/or trade school Physical health and mental wellness counseling Training to develop the necessary skills to live independently