Youth Opportunity Center
What if there were ONE place young people could go that would meet all of their needs? A place where they could find -everything from a warm bed and a hot meal to an opportunity to create positive change in their community?
In 2009, Oasis Center and STARS joined together to create the Youth Opportunity Center (YOC).
A 39,000 square foot facility unlike anything else in the southeast, the YOC is a testament to the power and possibility of collaboration. By bringing eight youth agencies under the same roof, we have been able to provide a “one-stop shop” for young people while simultaneously increasing the operating efficiency of agency partners through shared back-office services.
In December 2009, Rodger Dinwiddie and Hal Cato were recognized for this innovative project by being selected by the Nashville Scene as Nashvillians of the Year.
Our goals for developing this center were simple…
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1. Align existing youth initiatives, resources and expertise
2. Expand the services facing the greatest demand
3. Increase the back-office operating efficiency of the partner agencies
4. Remove as many barriers as we possibly can that will prevent youth from accessing help
YOC Agencies and Services Provided
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Big Brothers Big Sisters - Mentoring programs, including community based, site based (schools), high school bigs, couples programs, retired and senior volunteer program (RSVP), Amachi program (serve children of incarcerated parents).
Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee - Provides boys & girls ages 6 -18 with a safe, exciting, engaging, place to learn, grow and succeed. Teaches character & leadership development; education & career development; health & life skills; the arts; sports, fitness & recreation.
Meharry Medical College – Provides family health and pediatric clinics, smoking prevention and cessation, suicide awareness and prevention, A&D relapse prevention, anger management and stress reduction and nutrition counseling. For more information, please call 615-891-2895.
Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency – YouthCan Program- assisting youth with -employment, occupational training and post-secondary education.
Nashville Career Advancement Center – Services for youth, including, tutoring, study skills and activities leading to drop-out prevention; alternative secondary school offerings; summer employment linked directly to academic and occupational learning; paid and unpaid work experiences; occupational skills training; leadership development opportunities; supportive services; adult mentoring; follow-up services, and comprehensive guidance and counseling as appropriate.
Nashville Prevention Partnership- Increase public awareness and knowledge of the nature and extent of substance use, abuse, and addiction and their effects on individuals, families, and communities; Educates people who are both affected by substance abuse and violence as well as people hoping to impact the problem as change agents; Mobilizes the community through organizing, planning, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness through interagency collaboration, coalition building, and networking; Change environmental factors by influencing social norms and behaviors, recommending policy change, and through action-oriented initiatives that reduce the access of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Oasis Center – Crisis and residential services (counseling, emergency shelter, street outreach, drop-in center, Harwell Lofts); Youth Engagement and Action (youth program for high-risk middle school students); College Access (Helping low income/first generation college students access college and workforce preparation).
STARS - Various youth programs dealing with social and emotional barriers to learning, including Bullying Prevention and Intervention Education, Trainings and Services; Student Assitance Programs in Middle and High Schools throughout Middle Tennessee; Kids on the Block puppet education and prevention services; Youth Overcoming Drug Abuse (YODA); Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services; PARTNERS to forge partnerships to increase academic achievement and help learner develop emotional intelligence and social competencies.
Turner Commons Training Center
