Archived Program: Pittsfield Youth Workshop
The Pittsfield Youth Workshop is a nonprofit youth organization committed to providing programs and services which empower youth by helping them to develop useful skills, self esteem, and meaningful friendships, and by involving them in activities which are interesting, challenging, and healthy avenues to self discovery.
History
The community has come to rely on the Pittsfield
Youth Workshop to provide a variety of programs and trips to meet the
needs of the growing youth population. The youth in our community deserve
every opportunity to enrich their lives and PYW has been there to provide
this much needed service for over sixteen years. The Pittsfield Youth
Workshop was founded in 1986 by a group of local citizens concerned about
the youth in this community. In 1990, PYW hired its first part-time director
and opened a drop-in center in the town’s newly renovated Community
Center. In 1998, PYW moved into a downtown storefront at 2 Depot Street,
where it is currently located. Since hiring its first full-time director
in 1999, PYW continues to operate a drop-in center, involve youth in the
community, and offer adventure based learning experiences
Program Description
The Pittsfield Youth Workshop is a private, non-profit youth organization. A board of directors, run by highly dedicated volunteers from the community, oversees the organization. The Pittsfield Youth Workshop currently employees one full time Executive Director and one part-time Teen Mentor Program Coordinator/Program Assistant. At the end of March 2004, PYW also acquired a PlusTime NH AmeriCorps VISTA member who will be volunteering with PYW until December 2004. Volunteers from the schools and community are relied on for additional staffing during drop-in hours and as chaperones for trips and activities. The Pittsfield Youth Workshop serves youth in the Pittsfield area, which includes primarily Pittsfield and Barnstead, NH.
PYW provides music lessons and cultural
experiences, leadership training and self-esteem building activities.
The programs offered present a variety of outlets through which youth
can become involved during out-of-school time including activities and
excursions both in Pittsfield and traveling out-of-town. Activities are
open to all youth in the sixth through twelfth grade (typically 11-19
years old) including home-schooled children and youth not currently attending
school. The Pittsfield Youth Workshop currently operates ten distinct
prevention activities:
1. Youth Drop-in Center;
PYW’s drop-in center is located in a storefront in downtown Pittsfield
within short walking distance from both the Elementary and Middle High
Schools. During the school year, the drop-in center is currently open
every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:00–7:00 PM and during the summer
on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3-6 PM.
During this time students are free to do a number of activities including
board games, pool, video and computer games, access the internet, cook
and bake in the kitchen, play the piano, violins, and guitars, sew, work
on arts and crafts projects, and do their homework. Drop-in time is also
when students of all ages work together to help plan upcoming events.
Groups meet to brainstorm ideas and to organize their participation in
community events. Drop-in also provides the opportunity for mentoring.
Older students team up with younger kids and work together towards a common
goal – whether it is baking a cake, learning to play the piano,
or tutoring, the students are constantly learning from each other.
2. Trips and Excursions: Some of the trips offered in
the past year include: kayaking, hiking, camping, indoor and outdoor rock
climbing, bowling, roller skating, ice skating, sporting events, music
and drama performances, trips to Boston, amusement park, museums, and
tide pooling. Our excursions have offered many new and challenging experiences
outside of the community. Many of the youth that are served by this aspect
of our prevention programming rarely have the opportunity to participate
in such unique, self-esteem building adventures. Our trips not only offer
the chance to learn new skills, but also encourage teamwork and respect
for others.]
3. Pittsfield Teen Mentor Project; The Pittsfield Teen
Mentor Project involves 18 Pittsfield youth - nine high-school students
as mentors and nine 5th-8th –grade students as their “apprentices.”
The overarching goal of the program is to strengthen resiliency in youth
whose life circumstances place them at risk for negative life outcomes.
This is achieved by promoting healthy peer relationships, positive community
involvement, and building strong mentor relationships.
4. Music Enhancement and Appreciation: Our director currently
offers free private lessons on the violin once a week for ten students.
The interest continues to grow daily. PYW’s violin students continue
to participate in and perform at a variety of community events including
Pittsfield’s 2nd Annual Fiddle Contest, the Canterbury Fiddler’s
Picnic, Maine Fiddle Camp, community contra dances, talent/variety shows,
and the Pittsfield Players community theater. In the past year we have
added regular group violin lessons and additional fiddle workshops.
5. Youth Board: During the Summer 2003, PYW began a Youth
Board. After an informational meeting in June, in July 2003 two adults
and three youth attended a three day “Youth-Adult Partnerships”
Conference held by UNH Cooperative Extension Youth Development and the
National 4-H Council. These youth returned to PYW and helped train a group
of eight youth, forming the PYW Youth Board. Youth officers have been
elected and two youth have sat on the PYW Board of Directors since September.
The Youth Board has a three part mission: 1) To give the youth a voice
in the programs offered by PYW; 2) To improve the image of PYW and youth
in general to the community; and 3) Fundraising.
6. Student Leaders in Prevention; (SLIP), a student run
prevention group. . The prevention group will meet once a week during
the school year for one hour of leadership training and education related
to substance abuse prevention. The students will bring in speakers and
hold workshops dealing with prevention issues, as well as sponsor drug-free
activities. Their goal is to plan and implement two activities each school
year addressing issues of respect, peer acceptance, drug-awareness, and
creating a supportive environment for the school and community.
7. Community Involvement; In collaboration with the town’s
Parks and Recreation Commission, Rotary Club, Lion’s Club, and other
local organizations, PYW assists in the planning of many community events
and community service projects including: Halloween activities (October),
the town Tree Lighting Celebration (December), Winterfest (February),
Old Home Day (July), the Balloon Rally (August), and Relay for Life, cancer
walk (May/June).
8. Destination Imagination/New Hampshire Operation Mind Magic
(DI/NHOM)
9. Homework Club: PYW runs a Homework Club that currently
meets at the youth drop-in center on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-6 PM.
10. Activities with Adults; Dialogue Nights, Family Dinner Nights
and Adult Volunteers.
PYW is funded by grants from Merrimack County Incentive Funds, and the
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention & Recovery, the Sanderson
Trust, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Merrimack County Savings
Bank Foundation, and from fundraisers and donations.
Pittsfield Youth Workshop
P.O. Box 206, 2 Depot St. Pittsfield, NH 03263
Phone (603) 435-8272 Fax (603) 435-8272 Cell (603) 234-9788
Please contact Heather Mike, Director or Michael Cox, Americorps/Vista should you have any questions or require more information at (603) 435-8272 or via e-mail at pyw@metrocast.net . Check out PYW’s website at www.pittsfieldyouthworkshop.org
Pittsfield
Youth Workshop
Archived Programs
Youth Organizations/p>
University of New Hampshire - Pettee Hall - 55 College Road - Durham, NH 03824