The mission of the Mayor's Youth Services Bureau is to promote the development of caring, responsible, and successful young people through the Mayor's Youth Leadership Council, the Mayor's Youth Employment Program, Pathfinders Adventure Learning, the Juvenile Review Board & PASS programs, Stamford Mentoring Partnership, and through collaboration with Stamford's youth serving organizations. The Mayor's Youth Services Bureau is located on the 6th floor of Government Center.  We provide information and referrals to youth and families and support 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.  Additionally, we provide opportunities for adults, parents, youth workers, teachers and mentors experiences and opportunities that encourage personal growth, teamwork, and improved communication skills. Our Programs: Girls Empowerment Movement in Stamford (GEMS) - a community based initiative to promote positive leadership development;  youth led social change and gender-conscious programming for girls. Juvenile Review Board (JRB) - 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 cases in the community. Mayor's Youth Leadership Council (MYLC) - MYLC promotes youth activism through grant writing, public awareness activities and social change campaigns. Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP) - A summer paid internship program matching Stamford High School students (16-18) to paid internships in jobs across the city for five weeks, with a four day work week and a 'leadership class' on Fridays at the Government Center. Pathfinder Adventure Learning - an experiential, adventure based program designed to offer participants an exciting powerful experience that promotes team development and personal growth for school groups, businesses, and community groups. Pathfinders Adventure Camp - a seven week day camp for middle school students that offers a variety of activities designed to promote teamwork, communication, improve self confidence, making healthy choices, and developing healthy peer relationships. Stamford's Focus on Youth (FOY) - FOY is a partnership of youth serving organizations committed to aiding and enriching the lives of youth on a local, regional, and statewide level. Stamford Mentoring Partnership (STAMP) and the Stamford Mentoring Collaborative - a collaboration of community based organizations focused on finding the right programs in the community to match youth with  positive role models from the community that give them direction and opportunity. Center for Children's Advocacy - provides legal support to help youth in Fairfield County succeed in school, and deals with eliminating barriers that prevent academic success. These barriers may include difficulties with special education services, school discipline problems, DCF concerns, mental health issues, homelessness, or immigration, among others.   Articles: Article regarding the ARTs program partnership with the Center for Children's Advocacy: http://www.thehour.com/story/512246   Our Directory of Youth Serving Organizations is available for information about youth serving organizations in the Stamford area:   2012 Directory - Online Database     Click here for information about the Mayor's Youth Employment Program Staff Directory   Staff  Position  Phone  Email Terri Drew Director 203-977-5674 tdrew@ci.stamford.ct.us Justin LaBaire Special Projects & Adventure Program 203-977-5361 jlabaire@ci.stamford.ct.us Bob Kocienda Mayor's Youth Leadership Council 203-977-4643 rkocienda@ci.stamford.ct.us Michelle Lappas Stamford Mentoring Collaborative & Mayor's Youth Employment Program 203-977-0830 mlappas@ci.stamford.ct.us Antonia Thompson Juvenile Review Board 203-977-5435 athompson2@ci.stamford.ct.us Charlene Fuller Pathways to Social & Academic Success 203-977-5261 cfuller@ci.stamford.ct.us Kathryn Meyer Attorney with Center for Children's Advocacy   kmeyer@kidscounsel.org Irene Blum Special Projects & Translator   203-977-5546 iblum@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~