A community coalition that works to improve the lives of economically disadvantaged youth and serves as the clearinghouse for local youth serving agencies.
Our mission: To promote positive youth development and to prevent juvenile delinquency through collaboration and capacity building.
Our history: PFY is a non-profit 501C(3) organization that was established by former mayor, Pam Miller, in response to the 1994 shooting death of an African American youth by a white police officer. Leaders from all segments of the community were brought together to develop effective ways to meet the needs of our young people.
Our programs include:
Grassroots Allocations & Scholarships
The Grassroots Allocations program raises and allocates local funds to grassroots programs that provide opportunities for young people. PFY allocated $60,000 to 28 local youth programs for 2009-2010. Since 1995 PFY has given over $1,000,000 to 239 different youth programs. Programs served include academic tutoring, recreation, diversity programs, skill development, and many more.
New! 2010 application due February 18, 2010
Grassroots Allocations Progress Reports
The Scholarship program started in 1998, with the help of Toyota. Youth who participate in programs supported by the Grassroots Allocations program are eligible. Scholarships can be used for any post-secondary education, and encourage recipients to continue their education. Each year ten scholarships are awarded, with nine youth receiving $1,000 and one youth receiving $1500.
2009 Scholarship winners are:
- Oscar Alcaraz, a senior at Henry Clay High School
- Jaelyn Coles, a senior at Tates Creek High School
- Maria Garcia, a senior at Lafayette High School
- Brittany Lindsey, a senior at Tates Creek High School
- Tarunjeet Soundh, a senior at Lafayette High school
- Leila Trejo, a senior at Lafayette High School
- Anna Tussey, a Freshman at Transylvania University
- Hugo Velasquez, a senior at Lafayette High School
- Jordan Yates, a senior at Tates Creek High School
Disproportionate Minority Confinement (DMC) project
PFY leads Fayette County’s DMC efforts with the support of community stakeholders, such as the Mayor’s Office, LFUCG Police Department, Fayette District Court, County Attorney, Juvenile Probation, Fayette County Public Schools, and the Cabinet For Health and Family Services. This project's aim is to systematically affect changes necessary to reduce racial disparity in juvenile detention by reducing potential for bias in the juvenile justice system, and reducing community risk factors. As a result of this project, Fayette County has witnessed changes in detention criteria documents used by Court Designated Workers and judges. The committee is also examining arrest and detention data to determine what juveniles might be better served through an increased use of Alternatives to Detention programming. It has also partnered with three local communities through PFY’s LEXfusion project to increasing opportunities for positive youth development in local communities.
For more information, contact Larry Johnson at 859-258-3108 or ljohnson@lfucg.com.
Training & Technical Assistance for Positive Youth Development
Our young people need high quality youth programs. PFY currently offers training for youth workers in methods for measuring program effectiveness, incorporating positive youth development into existing programs, and including young people in program leadership. PFY also raises community awareness of youth development through presentations at local organizations.
Mayor’s Youth Council
The Council was formed in 1999 to provide leadership and service opportunities for young people, and to provide a vehicle for meaningful dialogue among youth and community leaders. The Mayor’s Youth Council works closely with other local youth organizations. About 40 high school students participate in this diverse organization regularly. It is open to all youth age 12 to 18 in Fayette County.
LEXfusion
LEXfusion is an exciting community collaboration that consists of youth and adults working together to build a better community. Our vision is that young people in Lexington will be engaged in equal opportunities to develop their abilities and enhance their capacity to contribute as productive members to create safe and healthy communities. Our aim of this project is to help Lexington explore new collaborative relationships that will prove effective in increasing the number and array of positive development opportunities available to young people.
Projects include:
- Community Youth Mapping
- Spotlight on Youth Celebration
- Neighborhood Youth Councils
For more information or to learn how to get involved, please contact Project staff Larry Johnson at 859-258-3108, ljohnson@lfucg.com or Project Coordinator, Camille Hodge, chodge@lexingtonky.gov.
The “Everybody Shines: Spotlight on Youth” Celebration will take place on June 7th 2009 at the Courthouse Square from 4 - 9 pm.
Delinquency Prevention
Through Partners for Youth the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) has awarded $270,000 to four local agencies and schools through the 2004-2005 Community Juvenile Justice Partnership Grant Program (CJJPG). Grant recipients are required to reduce truancy and/or out of school suspensions in targeted elementary and middle schools by 30% in the 2004-2005 State Fiscal Year. For a more detailed description of the grant recipients and the Community Juvenile Justice Partnership Program (CJJPG) please
Partners for Youth merged with the Fayette County Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Council in February 2000. The PFY Board (as the designated Fayette County Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Council) now recommends local delinquency prevention programs to receive grants from the Department of Juvenile Justice’s (DJJ) Community Juvenile Justice Partnership Grant (CJJPG) Program. More than $1,300,000 has gone to 18 local organizations over the last five years. PFY also studies local juvenile justice issues in order to address the gaps in services for at risk and delinquent youth by collaborating with local youth service providers to implement policy change.
2006-2008 Community Needs Assessment
Partners for Youth (as the designated Fayette County Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Council) is required pursuant to Kentucky Administrative Regulations (KAR) 1:060 and 1:070 to complete a Comprehensive Plan that outlines goals and objectives for the next two state fiscal years (July 1 to June 30). Within the Plan is the Community Needs Assessment that contains data and information regarding delinquent and at risk youth, gaps and barriers to services for these youth, and how Partners for Youth through the Community Juvenile Justice Partnership Grant (CJJPG) Program and other initiatives, will address these issues. For more information please contact Terry Stivers at (859) 258-3122 or via email at tstivers@lfucg.com.
Click here to view a PDF of the 2006-2008 Community Needs Assessment
Click here to view a PDF of the 2006-2008 Community Needs Assessment Appendices
2006 Annual Report to the Commissioner
Partners for Youth (as the Fayette County Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Council) is required pursuant to Kentucky Administrative Regulation (KAR) 1:060 to submit the Annual Report to the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. The Report contains information on the Partners for Youth Board (as the Fayette County Juvenile Delinquency Council) through the end of the State Fiscal Year 2006. As you read the Report you will see that Partners for Youth is working hard to ensure that all youth in Lexington-Fayette County become caring, capable, and responsible adults.
Click here to view a PDF of the 2006 Annual Report to the Commissioner
Students That Attend Reach Success:
Leestown Middle School
Morton Middle School
Winburn Middle School
Jessie Clark Middle School
Crawford Middle School
Edith J. Hayes Middle School
Southern Middle School
Lexington Traditional Magnet School
Tates Creek Middle School
Bryan Station Middle School
Modeled after the Jefferson County Truancy Diversion Project, the S.T.A.R.S (Students That Attend Reach Success) Program was implemented as a pilot project in January 1999 at Crawford Middle School to combat high rates of habitual truancy. It is conducted as a mock court with Fayette Circuit Court Judges, an Assistant Fayette County Commonwealth Attorney, and other court personnel, “presiding” over the proceedings. Additionally, the Program Team, which consists of school social workers and youth service center coordinators, the Department of Pupil Personnel (DPP), and Court Designated Workers (CDW) are present to develop a plan for the family. These plans may require families to seek additional assistance from outside agencies for the following services:
- Tutoring/Academic Assistance
- Parenting classes
- Psychological assessments
- Counseling and treatment for anger management, substance and alcohol abuse, and domestic violence, etc.
For more information contact:
Terry Stivers, MSW
Phone: (859) 258-3122
Email: tstivers@lfucg.com