Youth Programs

Impact’s abiding interest in enhancing opportunities for youth spans decades and has taken many forms.

In the education arena, Impact has worked to develop a full service childcare center in an old industrial space. Now managed by an outside childcare provider, the facility serves over 70 children a year and employs 24 people, mostly from the neighborhood. As sponsoring community agency for the First Philadelphia Charter School for Literacy ,Impact happily played a role in launching the school, and continues to serve on its Board, fostering growth of this education alternative now serving over 550 children grades K–6.

Increasing youths’ connection to the world of work has also been important. A long-time participant in the Summer Career Exploration Program (SCEP) program, Impact employed talented college students in placing and supervising income-eligible youth in summer jobs related to areas of interest. Its Youth Violence Reduction (YVRP) and Youthbuild programs helped older youth improve literacy, earn GEDs, get work experience, and land jobs.

For almost a decade, the CheckMate program created a safe haven for at-risk middle schoolers. Today, Camp Kensington creates summer recreation for fifty 8–13 year olds, and a variety of community building activities seek to involve youth and their families in neighborhood events.

In 2007, Impact accepted responsibility for fostering future development of The First Tee of Philadelphia. This leadership-building program enhances Impact’s ability to create opportunities for youth to improve their education, acquire skills, build character, and make contributions to their community. The new subsidiary typically engages over 1,000 youth per year in a development program that uses golf to teach life lessons, and core values that will stand them in good stead wherever they go and whatever they do.

Impact continues to look for ways to involve youth in the community and enhance opportunities for them to realize their gifts and make contributions.

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