Our Mission
Our mission is to strengthen youth and families through evidence-based programs that prevent substance abuse, promote healthy behaviors, and maximize student success.
Youth First exists to strengthen and transform the lives of young people and their families. Youth First Social Workers provide specialized mentoring and caring support to students in partnering schools, readily available to assess and address students, family and school needs. Youth First prevention programs give kids the readiness, resiliency, and relationship skills needed to face life’s challenges.
Youth First in
Pike County
To book a speaker, support, donate, volunteer, or advocate for Youth First in Pike County, contact Ellie Meade, Regional Development Officer.
Find out more about Youth First Social Workers available in Pike County
Model Emotional Regulation for Children
Counties, Youth First BlogBy Deena Bodine, LCSW – May 14, 2019 Life can place many demands on us: work obligations, financial pressures, health issues…the list goes on. These life stressors can make it difficult to be at our best as parents, especially when we feel overwhelmed, frustrated, discouraged, or defeated. During this time, we may even begin second-guessing […]
Social/Emotional Benefits of Sleep Away Summer Camp
Counties, Youth First BlogBy Sarah Laury, LCSW – May 7 Growing up, one of my favorite parts of summer was going away to summer camp. I counted down the days until school was out and I could start packing for camp. I loved meeting new friends, singing camp songs, learning about nature, and all of the camp games […]
Managing Test Anxiety
Counties, Youth First BlogBy Laura Arrick, LCSW – April 30, 2019 It is a very busy time of year in local schools. ISTEP and ILEARN have taken over the past couple of months. Finals and end-of-year exams will closely follow. These tests can bring about a lot of pressure and stress for our students. Learning how to manage […]