YOUTH PROGRAMS  

Need Addressed:  Incarceration is an epidemic and it is affecting our youth. In early 2008 The Potter’s Wheel Ministries surveyed the youth we serve and the findings were startling. Approximately 100 young people attend our services and events, with 43 regular attendees. Among regular attendees, 58% have been in trouble with the law, with some still on probation; 33% have been incarcerated at Youth Care Center (YCC); one adolescent is an inmate in a high-security juvenile prison. Nearly 50% of the youth have a parent who is currently incarcerated; 63% have a parent who has been incarcerated; and 67% have a family member who is currently imprisoned. Most disturbing is the fact that 25% of the young people at The Potter’s Wheel believe that they will spend time in jail or prison at some point in their lives. Peer pressure, poor choices, poverty, abuse, and low family expectations all contribute to a poor self-image which leads to negative choices and perpetuates a legacy of incarceration. 

Program Description:  Youth programs at The Potter’s Wheel include EPIC 1:3, elementary youth activities and services, Sunday school, vacation Bible school, summer camp, weekly field trips during school summer vacation, and other youth outings. EPIC 1:3 meets bi-weekly at Glenwood Middle School with The Potter’s Wheel staff presenting values lessons and activities from a research-based curriculum. There are also youth activities and services each Thursday evening at The Potter’s Wheel and Sunday school during adult worship services. Vacation Bible school (VBS) is held for four nights each summer. Bible lessons, music, games, crafts and snacks are provided for the children. On the fourth night VBS culminates with a parent-child program and presentations of backpacks filled with school supplies. Other youth events include weekly summer field trips, one week of summer camp, pizza parties, movie nights and girls’ slumber parties. In addition, the youth pastor provides one-on-one mentoring to many of the children. All youth program activities provide spiritual instruction and a safe, supervised environment where youth socialize and learn more positive life-styles. 

Mission Alignment:  The youth programs align with The Potter’s Wheel Ministries’ mission, transforming lives while meeting the physical, educational, social, and spiritual needs of Evansville’s inner-city youth.

Goal/Impact:  The youth programs at The Potter’s Wheel will work with at-risk and formerly incarcerated youth to help them build developmental assets and learn to make positive choices that will impact their futures.

Outputs:  Expected outputs will be that at least an average of 125 students will participate in youth programs during the first six months of the grant period. At least an average of 135 students will participate in youth programs during the second six months of the grant period. 

Attendance sheets will be maintained. Monthly reports will verify the attendance of each program. A monthly report will be submitted to the administrator prior to meetings of the board of directors. 

Outcome:  The goal of the youth programs is to help young people realize their potential, giving them hope to become productive citizens in society. Youth participating will complete a survey (Search Institute Developmental Assets survey) during the first three months of the grant period and again six months later. The expected outcome is at least a 7% increase in developmental assets which are identified as each participant’s ability to make positive choices.