Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FLDJJ)

FLDJJ announces the receipt of a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to:

• create a full range of services focused on justice-involved youth with traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

in partnership with YOF, the University of South Florida and the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

(December 2020)

DirectEmployers Association (DE)

Accessed company leaders of this international human resource compliance and recruiting firm, through membership on Advisory Council, strengthens the design of and access to internship and apprenticeships for youth participating in YOF programs.

(September 2020)

St Joseph’s College of Marian University (SJC)

A mutually beneficial working relationship with this Indianapolis-based, post-secondary provider has been developed to promote access to their unique “Earn and Learn” program combining full time college coursework and a paid internship for motivated YOF program-based youth.

(August 2020)

National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)

YOF announces a strategic partnership with NASHIA to enable YOF to reach all fifty states with activities to assist vulnerable youth. The first joint effort will be focused on an awareness campaign and toolkit to address the impact of traumatic brain injury in youth.

(July 2020)

Orbis Education Services (ORBIS)

YOF announces the addition of ORBIS leaders to both the Board of Directors and Advisory Council. It is anticipated that the involvement of ORBIS will help to identify and strengthen YOF programming in the areas of remote learning and career development for vulnerable youth.

(June 2020)

Upper Iowa University (UIU)

YOF contracted with this fully accredited university to provide access to their unique, 100% correspondence based, college coursework. The addition of the UIU curriculum represents the third YOF scholarship program opportunity for vulnerable youth.

(May 2020)

University of South Florida (USF)

USF added an assistant professor, experienced in traumatic brain injury, to the Advisory Council with a commitment from USF to partner with YOF, and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, in a Department of Justice grant application to address the assessment and treatment of TBI, in justice-involved youth, to reduce recidivism.

(April 2020)

Elevate Indianapolis (ELEVATE Indy)

YOF established a partnership with this local affiliate of ELEVATE USA to extend the reach of this secondary-school based mentoring program to encourage post-secondary training for the vulnerable youth benefitting from the program. The target of this collaboration is to attack the growing issue of intergenerational poverty in Indianapolis by providing economic mobility for children being left behind.

(February 2020)

CreateAbility

YOF announces a partnership with CreateAbility, Inc.. Also a Carmel based firm, CreateAbility is focused on using technology to eliminate barriers, promote independence and self-empowerment. We believe that through this relationship we can enhance the effectiveness and availability of secondary and post-secondary education for troubled teens.

(December, 2019)

Advisory Council

This is a group of subject matter experts with experience and interest in the four pillars of the YOF mission, post-secondary training, career development, mentoring and applied research. The Council was formed to serve in an advisory capacity to the President and Board of Directors for strategic and operational guidance.

(November 2019).

Public Advocates for Community re-Entry (PACE Indy)

YOF created a collaborative relationship with PACE, a sixty year old advocacy and services program for incarcerated adults and their families, to assist in building capacity and creating additional programming opportunities for post-adjudicated youth.

(August 2019)

Megan Ward Scholarship

YOF Announces Megan Ward Scholarship. Based on the incredible generosity of YOF donors, a scholarship for post-secondary education for victims of human trafficking has been established to assist in their rehabilitation and community re-entry.

(March, 2019)

InStep Indy

Substance abuse has long been an ever-present threat to developing youth; the opioid crisis has added urgency to efforts to control and eliminate this scourge. Youth Opportunity Foundation joined InStep Indy, a local public-private partnership, focused on a coordinated solution(s) to substance abuse disorder. YOF is determined to represent at-risk youth through the efforts of this group focused on prevention through education and protection for vulnerable youth victimized through the addiction of their parents.

(February, 2019)

The Center for Success and Independence in Houston

Dr. Marylou Erbland, clinical director at The Center for Success and Independence in Houston, specializes in rehabilitating victims of human trafficking. She and her team have achieved unprecedented outcomes with innovative therapies based on Dialetical Behavioral Therapy. Dr Erbland’s work, in partnership with Harris County, the Governor of Texas, and private payers, demonstrates the efficacy of specialized trauma-focused care.

Collaboration to Combat the Effects of Human Trafficking

Believing that age indiscriminately separates “victim” from “prostitute”, YOF has engineered a collaboration between The Hope Center Indy and YO affiliate TCSI, Houston to share experiences and expertise in attacking human trafficking from all angles.

(November, 2018)

BI Project with YO and RHI

In an ongoing search for improved clinical treatment programs for “at-risk” youth, YOF has partnered with Youth Opportunity and Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana to create a “first of it’s kind” screening protocol and treatment program for troubled teens assigned to residential treatment programs suspected of having a traumatic brain injury.

(August, 2018)

The Hope Center

Human trafficking ensnares 300,000 U.S. children, under 18, annually. YOF was introduced to The Hope Center Indy as a unique shelter for women desperate to break free from this enslavement. Given that this nightmare has robbed many of their childhood, YOF has enthusiastically partnered with The Hope Center to support education, mentoring, jobs and treatment, as appropriate, in this mission.

(June, 2018)

Collaboration to Combat the Effects of Human Trafficking

Believing that age indiscriminately separates “victim” from “prostitute”, YOF has engineered a collaboration between The Hope Center Indy and YO affiliate TCSI, Houston to share experiences and expertise in attacking human trafficking from all angles.

(November, 2018)

Ivy Tech

In partnership with Ivy Tech, one of the largest community colleges in the country, Youth Opportunity Foundation is providing grants to online classes for qualified students over 18.

(March, 2018)

YoungLife

Having a relationship with a trusted mentor may be the most important asset for a troubled teen successfully transitioning to adulthood. With this in mind, YOF has partnered with YoungLife International and Youth Opportunity to establish “clubs” at YO campuses to begin this important relational development process.

(October, 2017)