Our Services:
Positive Youth Development

Wedgwood's Positive Youth Development (PYD) programs have set Wedgwood apart as the leader in prevention services. These programs are well known and respected by many area school districts, and the numbers prove it. We conduct 300 groups a year in school, community centers, churches, and judicial departments. Our PYD programs presently serve youth in 75% of Kent County school districts.

Our goal is to strengthen our youth and community by developing internal and external asssets that increase kids' resiliency and put them on the path to a bright future. We understand that family support and involvement are crucial to this process.

Our Positive Youth Development Programs
Michigan Teen Outreach Program (MTOP)
School Based During- and After-school Life Skills Programs
Michigan Abstinence Partnership (MAP)
Pure Passion for Fashion (P2)

Substance Abuse Prevention Education: We are presently facilitating ATOD (Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) prevention-education groups in Kent County Schools, in the court system, and in multiple community centers and churches throughout Kent County.

• The Botvin Life Skills curriculum is used with middle and high school aged youth.  These groups of youth meet for 15 sessions.  Many of these groups are facilitated in alternative high schools or in the court system. This service is funded by the United Way and a Governors Discretionary Grant.  We apply annually for both funding sources.

• Project Success, a new contract with Network 180, is a school-based substance abuse prevention and early intervention program that places highly trained prevention specialists in the schools who work with adolescents individually and in small groups; conduct large group prevention/education discussions and programs; train and consult on prevention issues with school staff; coordinate the substance abuse services and policies of the school and refer and follow-up with students and families needing substance abuse treatment or mental health services in the community.  We have 7 years of secured funding for Project Success.
• Streetwise: Wedgwood Christian Services has developed a unique and innovated program to engage middle school youth in Life Skills programming, during the summer months.  For 2 weeks, youth learn valuable basketball skills from area coaches mixed with skills for life from Wedgwood Christian Services with a tournament concluding the event.  This program is facilitated in the community each summer.

Studies show that kids in west and southwest Michigan are trying alcohol as early as age twelve. The sooner you talk, the easier it is.

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This site not only has links to a variety of parent tools, it gives local parents the chance to hear and share experiences, techniques, and advice with other local parents on how they can educate their children and improve family time.

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Share what you know with other parents, post on a variety of topics, and find links to helpful resources.

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Sexual Abstinence Education: We have submitted a grant proposal requesting funding for Michigan Abstinence Program.  We have received funding through this source for the last 8 years and anticipate that we will receive the award no later than mid December and will begin the delivery of services in January.

• Abstinence Character Based Education (ACE) groups use the Relationships Under Construction curriculum.   
• We facilitate ACE in the following formats:
  • Middle and High School age students.
  • 9 sessions of the experiential ACE curriculum + Community Service Project + Teen Rally

Group Mentoring: Teens on Track. Wedgwood’s TEENS On Track Program is a prevention program designed to address the potential pitfalls facing youth today. This unique program involves an intentional partnership with community churches and community centers in an effort to empower youth and families with the skills necessary to make good decisions for their lives. 

The overall goal is that participants will gain a solid foundation of knowledge, principles, characteristics, and qualities that will enable them to live responsive, responsible, and respectful lives. This foundation will include knowledge and skills needed for social competence, problem solving, self-esteem, and a sense of purpose. 

This program is funded by a community partnership that includes Wedgwood donors, Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church and Roosevelt Park.

Community Outreach Groups: These 8 session, early intervention groups, meet with small groups of identified students to discuss various topics throughout the school year.  A skilled facilitator works with a maximum of 12 students to present education and skills to students in relevant and innovative approach on the following topics:

• Grief and Loss
• How Emotions Work for You (anger Mgt.)
• Healthy Relationships and Boundaries
• Gang Intervention
• Girls
• Boys
• Coping Skills (stress, anxiety, depression)
• Conflict Resolution
• Life Skills
• Mean Girls: Dealing with Relational Aggression
• Strategies for Motivation
• Youth Leadership
• Substance Abuse Education

Community Awareness Events and School Assemblies:

• Pure Passion for Fashion.  Although predominantly an abstinence from sex until marriage program, it too raises the awareness of the link between substance use and teen pregnancy and STD’s.  We no longer have grant financial support for this program but hope to bring the event back to Kent County in the fall of 2009.  In the past four years we have conducted 11 Pure Passion for Fashion events throughout the state of MI.  In addition, we have developed a curriculum to make available to other communities nation wide.
• BreakDown BreakDown is the new generation of Edutainment, bringing the message of self control and hope to a generation of young people looking  for the REAL thing. BreakDown is a team of young people who bring a powerful and dynamic message to their peers. This fast paced, high energy performance is designed specifically for the MTV generation. BreakDown's explosive and inspirational message was created to breakdown the lies that
  our sexually saturated culture has been sending our youth for years!
• Movies in the Park During summer months, Wedgwood hosts movie nights in community parks throughout the county.  The evening focus is to bring families together for a pro-social family event that provides the opportunity to transfer knowledge about youth trends and issues, and to share information with parents to help them create a healthy environment in their homes that support youth in making healthy choices. Families receive a "drive home" question and answer card to encourage discussion between family members about concepts from the film, including overcoming obstacles to making healthy decisions, the role of encouragement and healthy friendships.

Community and Environmental Strategies: COMMUNITY ALCOHOL STANDARDS - Plan A is a four prong intervention strategy comprised of the following:

• ASSESS community entities for their current knowledge, policies, and practices and explore how they may contribute to the community’s present standard of alcohol use.
• ADOPT the Community Standards of Alcohol Use developed by the AOD Healthy Partnership coalition and now endorsed by the Kent County Substance Abuse Prevention Leadership Coalition.
• ACTION strategies will be developed with each person and entity adopting the strategies for implementation in their sphere of influence.
• ACCOUNTABILITY, biannual contacts to provide support as they seek to implement the standards and to keep the strategies being implemented active and in operation.

Family Engagement:

• Parent focus groups
• Parent Nights that offer education and fellowship

Community Collaboration:

• Wedgwood chairs the Coalition on Adolescent Choices and Health (COACH) whose mission is to encourage youth and teens to make  healthy life choices and to promote abstinence from sexual activity, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.
• Kent County Substance Abuse Prevention Leadership Coalition: A healthier community for all served by a substance abuse prevention system that fills gaps in services, focuses resources and funds, and reduces overlap.  To create and sustain an organized, connected, strategic, inclusive substance abuse prevention system by:
  • Holding the system accountable to outcomes;
  • Implementing a data driven planning process;
  • Including diverse community participants in the planning process;
  • Making collaborative/shared decisions;
  • Providing culturally competent prevention services; and,
  • Utilizing flexible and coordinated resources.

For more information about Positive Youth Development programs, contact Teri Clark at (616) 831-5883.