Youth Services
Our Division
WLCAC has established a legacy of service that tells stories of the heart. The advocacy we provide extends beyond immediate needs to encompass long standing impacts in an individual’s life. Our youth and families have found our WLCAC site as a place that will always have their arms open to provide the highest quality of care and advocacy in their journey to success. Allowing opportunities of growth and positive memories in the lives of every child that comes through our doors!
- Outdoor experiences (Camping, hiking, surf classes, skateboarding, farming workshops, amusement parks, sporting events, fishing, Swimming Activities at the lakes, beaches and creeks etc..)
- Seasonal Activities: Auto mechanic workshops, Aviation workshops (Flying Planes), Basketball Clinics and bicycle safety workshops
- Mental Health: Healing Circles, Therapy (Individual, family and group), Grief and Loss, Trauma Focused Workshops and Art Therapy
- Parenting Workshops/Support Groups, Parent Night Out events and Parent Appreciation Day Activities Participant Support Services: Backpacks, shoes (Vans), school uniforms, socks, hygiene kits, gift cards, other essential needs
- Family Support: Diapers, strollers, car seats, toddler clothing etc…
- Recreational Activities: Billiards, PS4 and XBox Tournaments, soccer, street hockey, painting, Movie Theaters, Golf N Stuff, Raging Waters, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Natural History Museum, Museum Of Tolerance, Aquarium of the Pacific, Six Flags, Sky Zone, Speed Zone etc..
- AIYDA Activities (Activating Intentional Youth Development Activities): Bead making, origami (Paper Folding Art), Ceramics etc…
G.R.Y.D Prevention/Re-entry/Outdoor Equity (Youth Development Programs)
WLCAC’s city-funded youth development programs serve as a safe haven for young people to grow and play. We serve youth through a variety of enriching programming in the areas of southeast Los Angeles and Watts.
- G.R.Y.D Prevention- A model Youth Development program that services youth ages 10-15 yrs. living in Watts and specific South Central areas. Services include intensive Case Management, recreational and educational activities, mentoring, mental health, and life skills. Our Case Managers provide a holistic approach to service that helps cater to individual needs based on assessment. They are able to support youth and families in their home, school setting, and in their communities. Youth get exposed to a variety of trips as incentives and while at our center are provided a daily meal, activities, and are transported to their respective homes at the end of the day.
- G.R.Y.D Re-entry- Services young people between the ages of 14-21 yrs. and are referred by law-enforcement to receive intensive Case Management which includes visits and healing circles at respective camps. We assist in integrating individuals back into the community with connections to jobs, mental health, basic needs, enrolling in school, and/or helping those trying to achieve personal goals.
- Outdoor Equity- Services all ages and has programming that explores the outdoor parks, lakes, recreational centers in an effort to encourage families to explore their natural surroundings.
Our Impact
Over 75% of our Staff either grew up through our youth programs and/or still reside in the areas we service. This adds program buy-in, which in turn, impacts and gives validity and shows the effectiveness in building trust with families we serve. This has also allowed for the development of our WLCAC Youth Alumni, with youth programming since 1965!
Our Team
Ralph Flores
Director GRYD
Esmeralda Melara
Codirector
Karen Gayles
Prevention Program Coordinator GRYD
Martin Gonzalez
Prevention Program Coordinator GRYD
Tequila Castro
Program manager
We Offer
Intensive Case Management
Our holistic approach to case management involves case managers that we hire from the community to service and connect with participants in all settings of their life: school, home, individually, and within the community.
Basic Needs
We do giveaways: backpacks, shoes & socks, hygiene kits, gift cards, school uniforms, baby-to-baby items.
Recreational/Educational Activities
On-site basketball clinics, skate & roller skating classes, aviation with Young Eagles, Horses in the Hood, surf classes, arts classes, East Side Riders bike club, MudTown Farms gardening.
Trips
Raging Waters, Hurricane Harbor, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Universal, movie trips, Sky Zone, museums, Golf N’ Stuff, Speed Zone, K1 Speed, beaches & lakes, hiking & camping, Outdoor Leadership program
Outdoor Equity Program
Allows families to experience local outdoor education and recreation by providing camping gear, transportation, and park fees for families and allowing them to travel to the outdoors, create new family traditions, connect with nature, promote environmental justice, and participate in campfire healing circles.
Social Media Marketing + Branding
This Pop-Up course is for people who are interested in working in social media, digital content production and people who seek to use social media to strengthen their digital footprint and grow their personal and/or professional brands.
Staff Stories
I'm fulfilled in working hard to equip the city of Watts with full empowerment and support from all angles.
I am a watts resident who received my first job through a WLCAC program. I started an internship at 16 and it nurtured my passion for giving back to the community. We are a family and I love how we can help everyone that comes through the door!
As a Youth living in Watts it gave me insight on all that was needed to develop in a positive manner. As an Adult working for GRYD I do my best to provide all the support the Youth need. I am proud to give back to my Community.
Client Stories
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