Youth Services Bureau

Youth Service Bureau

YSB’s mission is, “To inspire youth and families to recognize their strengths and power to live, learn, socialize and work in their community.” Youth who access YSB services are homeless, fleeing abusive or dangerous situations, or experiencing severe family conflict. YSB provides a variety of services to support youth with addressing the challenges in their lives. YSB services include a 24-hour youth referral line, street outreach and drop-in services, temporary emergency shelter, and long term transitional housing. The Youth Service Bureau is the only program in Humboldt County, and one of the few in the nation, providing housing to runaway and homeless young people.

Our House Shelter

Our House Crisis Shelter was established in 1991 as our community recognized a need to offer services to prevent youth from entering the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems. Youth who call Our House for shelter services may be experiencing homelessness, severe family conflict or fleeing from an unhealthy living situation. Our House Shelter is a temporary housing program (maximum stay of 21 days) with the goal of family reunification. The majority of all sheltered youth return to their parent or guardian’s home after a brief intervention by YSB. If re-entering the home is not a possibility, then we help explore the next best option.

Services

  • 24-hour per day supervision
  • Food, clothing, transportation
  • Crisis intervention and family mediation
  • Case management and aftercare services

Eligibility

  • Youth must be between the ages of 12 to 18 years old,
  • Youth agrees to shelter
  • Youth is not actively drug or alcohol dependent
  • Youth is non-violent or actively suicidal
  • Youth is not on formal probation

Entrance Procedures

Call our 24-Hour Crisis Hotline (707) 444-CARE (2273)
 
The following will be assessed by the Hotline Worker:
 
  • Obtain voluntary consent
  • Suicide risk assessment
  • Substance use assessment
  • Assaultive behavior assessment
  • Criminal record check

Crisis Line

 (707) 444-CARE (2273)

Launch Pad-Transitional Living

The Launch Pad is a long term (maximum stay of 21-months) transitional living program for homeless youth or youth who are fleeing unhealthy living situations between the ages of 18 to 21. The goal of the program is to assist youth and young adults in making the transition to self-sufficiency. Youth reside in a shared two bedroom or three bedroom apartment, 5 bedroom house, or YSB subsidized apartments. Apartments for youth under 18 are located in our main building, which has a staff person on duty 24-hours a day.

Program Philosophy: Launch Pad is a strength-based program. Staff are dedicated to forming partnerships with the residents, and supporting them in exploring their life goals. The staff work with the residents to create a safe environment which is non-judgmental, allowing them to make their own informed decisions.

Case Management Services

Each  resident will receive comprehensive case management services. Residents, with assistance from staff, will have a Needs and Services Plan, which allows participants to focus their energy in order to create change in their lives.  

Areas of concentration:

  • Education
  • Employment 
  • Psychological-Social
  • Life Skills Education

How to Qualify

Accessing the Program: Launch Pad is for youth who are experiencing homelessness or fleeing unhealthy living situations.

To qualify for TLP:
 
  • Youth must be between the ages of 10 to 21
  • Youth cannot be drug or alcohol dependent
  • Youth cannot be actively suicidal
  • Youth cannot be on formal probation
  • Youth must voluntarily agree to be in TLP
  • Legal Guardian must consent to TLP (if youth is under 18years old).

Call (707) 443-8322 to speak with a staff member about the Launch Pad or additional YSB services.
 

Transitional Housing

Transitional housing for youth emancipated from foster care or juvenile probation, ages 18-24 years old. Youth learn important life skills to prepare them for independence. 

The Turner House

The Turner House was purchased in part by a generous donation from a community member in the amount of $100,000, which kick started a fundraising campaign called, "On Solid Ground. When we finally raised a little over $300,000, we bought a beautiful 4-plex apartment building right next door to YSB. The building was named "The Turner House" in honor of our original investor, Sara Turner. This new youth housing program started in 2017. The main goal is to offer safe housing for foster youth who have turned 18 but can still benefit from services designed to help them reach their full potential. The Turner House is similar to our other Housing Programs where youth learn life skills.
 

The RAVEN Project

The The Youth Service Bureau recognized the need for peer-based services within the youth and young adult community. Therefore, the Youth Service Bureau created a youth-led street outreach program called The RAVEN Project.

The mission of the RAVEN Project is to:

  • Improve the mental and physical well-being of the youth
  • Provide basic survival supplies
  • Create a network of resources and referrals
  • Support and advocate for the youth
  • Provide positive role models
  • And employ the at-risk youth within the area of Humboldt County!

 

Facebook Fan Page:

http://www.facebook.com/ravenproject
 

Please Help

Redwood Community Action Agency-Youth Service Bureau’s RAVEN Project serves youth ages 10 up to 21 on the street and through a drop-in center.  Your donation will help us continue our mission to improve the mental and physical well-being of the youth, provide basic survival supplies, provide resources and referrals, advocate for youth, provide positive role models and employ youth in Humboldt County.
 
We do not charge for our services.  We rely instead on grants and the generosity of our community to provide service to this vulnerable population.  We hope you will take a moment to make a donation on Giving Tuesday (or anytime) to RCAA-RAVEN, 904 G St., Eureka, CA 95501 or on the web at www.rcaa.org.  Please share our message with your family and friends. Call (707) 443-7099 for more info.
Thank you for your support and belief in our youth!

Drop-in center

The RAVEN Project Drop-in Center is housed in a small 1896 Victorian. Our address is 523 T Street, Eureka, CA. We are visible from US 101 North (5th St.). Our drop-in center is also a short walk from the 4th & S St. and 5th & U St. bus stops. 

The Drop-in center is open on:
Tuesday - Friday 2:00 to 6:00


Drop-in provides youth an opportunity to check in with themselves regarding the status of their lives and current issues concerning their personal well-being. During drop-in youth may access our services and receive referrals for alternate assistance.The atmosphere in RAVEN is very neutral and enforces a “hate free zone.” RAVEN supports all lifestyles and positive means of expression. Art supplies and opportunities for publication in RAVEN's youth-made zines are available.

Youth Outreach 

Traveling in teams of two or three, Youth Educators and Street Outreach Workers take to the streets with resource materials, safer sex supplies, first-aid supplies, and toiletries, socks, and snacks. This is the RAVEN Project's method of bringing the program to the youth in their environment.

Outreach provides RAVEN the opportunity to interact with individuals who cannot, or have not yet accessed services through the drop-in center. This method proves to be successful and is our main source of networking.
 

Youth Groups

RAVEN normally holds various weekly groups with specific activities geared toward certain populations.  However, the only group we have currently have is the Queer Coffee House.

 

Cooking and Life Skills
Tuesdays from 5-5:50 p.m.

Queer and Peer Support
Wednesdays 5-5:50 p.m.

Art and Music
Thursdays 5-5:50 p.m.

Game Night
Fridays 5-5:50 p.m.

Staffing

The RAVEN Project recruits, hires, and trains a cadre of youth from the street population to serve as Youth Educators. Youth Educators provide firsthand knowledge about realities of street life and insights into how to best provide services to local youth.RAVEN is staffed with a Program Coordinator and a Case Worker, and additionally with the Youth Educators.
RAVEN Phone: (707) 443-7099     Fax: (707) 445-1445






 

How do RCAA's programs affect you?

  • Natural Resources Services (NRS) works directly with Humboldt County community leaders, schools and parents to improve safety and encourage more children to safely walk and bicycle to school. NRS helps coordinate both the Greater Eureka and Humboldt County Safe Routes to School Task Forces.
  • The Natural Resources Services works with community members, civic groups, and local jurisdictions to enhance neighborhood street tree planting and support the development of community forests for public access and watershed protection.
  • The TOOTH program: igniting healthy smiles and lifelong dental wisdom in young minds!
  • The Energy & Environmental Services Division provides much needed help to our low-income and elderly community members. The program helps to pay their energy costs, to make their homes warm and cozy, and improve their health by weatherizing their homes against inclement weather.
  • AFACTR AmeriCorps Member states that their experience with the program has been by far one of the best experiences I have ever had at any job. The training's I've had has opened my opportunities for other jobs in ways I never thought possible. The AmeriCorps experience has been a really great experience. I have nothing but good to say about being an AmeriCorps member.
  • AmeriCorps has helped me to understand the imperative need for stabilization services not only in Humboldt County, but on a macrosystem level. It has also allowed me to network with wonderful local nonprofits and federal service agencies to understand how they provide trauma informed services that strengthen family systems and community based models. Based on my term as an AmeriCorps member, I have become more comfortable with providing casework to clients and have developed a meaningful rapport with service agencies in our area. Providing at a resource center has driven my interest in continuing my education to pursue my master's degree in public administration.
  • I began my AFACTR term as an undergrad student and saw it as an opportunity to better define what I wanted to pursue as a career after college. As my term comes to an end, I have committed to gaining a master's in social work degree, something that I 100% attribute to my experiences at the family resource center. It feels like this program was tailor-made for people in a similar situation as me, who feel somewhat uncertain about future direction but have an affinity for or interest in helping professions. Additionally, the relationships I've build with my coworkers and clients have given me a feeling of connection and understanding to the community that was just not present in my life prior to my AmeriCorps term.
  • My AFACTR AmeriCorps service provided me with the confidence I needed to branch out into a whole different field of service.I cannot put into words how much this program means to me. My future looks very positive and full of opportunities I thought I would never have. As a result of AFACTR I now have so many tools at my disposal that I can utilize in my professional future.
  • As a second term AFACTR AmeriCorps member, I can say that AFACTR offers you a unique opportunity to be the best version of yourself. Whatever place you are in your life when you enter the program, you will leave having grown in ways you didn't know were possible. I cannot recommend strongly enough the powerful opportunity of upward mobility through hard work and commitment to your community. I am on my way to getting my master's degree which will be financially supplemented by my educational award and am in a place where I feel seen, valued and supported.