“Viewing youth as valuable assets and resources in our community.”

The Mission of the Mayor's Youth Services Bureau is to develop caring, responsibly, and successful young people through the Mayor's Youth Leadership council, Education Through Adventure, the Juvenile Review Board, the Stamford Mentoring Partnership, and collaboration among Stamford's youth-serving organizations.

The Mayor’s Youth Services Bureau is located in the Mayor’s Office at the Government Center. We provide information and referrals to youth and families and support to the many youth-serving agencies in our community.

Through our own programs, we focus on developing leadership skills, self-confidence, and life skills in our young people. In addition, we provide opportunities for adults, parents, youth workers, teachers and mentors to improve their communication, risk and courage and team building skills.

Our programs include:

• Education Through Adventure – the Adventure Challenge Course at Scalzi Park is an exciting, powerful educational facility that promotes team development and personal growth for schools, businesses and community groups.
• Girls Empowerment Movement in Stamford - a community based initiative to promote positive leadership development; youth led social change and gender-conscious programming for girls.
• Juvenile Review Board – Comprised of professional & young people from Stamford who are committed to serving youth and their families, the overall goal of this program is to divert youth from the Juvenile Justice System by handling the case in the community.
• Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council – through programs at Stamford High School and Westhill High School, MYLC promotes youth activism through grant making, public awareness activities and social change campaigns. 
• Stamford Out of School Time Alliance – a partnership of youth-serving organizations, committed to aiding and enriching the lives of the youth of Stamford.
• Stamford Mentoring Partnership – a collaborative of community-based organizations, focused on matching youth with one-on-one positive role models from the community that give them direction and opportunity.
• Summer Camp – a seven week day camp offering a variety of activities, designed to promote teamwork, communication, improving self-confidence and self-esteem, making healthy choices, and developing healthy peer relationships.

  Terri Drew Director 977-5674 tdrew@ci.stamford.ct.us   Justin LaBaire Special Projects & Adventure Program Coordinator 977-5361 jlabaire@ci.stamford.ct.us  Bob Kocienda Mayor's Youth Leadership Council Program Coordinator 977-4643 rkocienda@ci.stamford.ct.us   Lindsey Waggaman Juvenile Review Board Program Coordinator 977-5137 lwaggaman@domuskids.org      Michelle Lappas Stamford Mentoring Parternship Program Coordinator 977-0830 mlappas@ci.stamford.ct.us

   

   

   

   

  " The Power of One – the potential for one individual to help, to heal, to support, to challenge and to change for the better, the life of a young person."
  Peter Benson – Search Institute President