The Nevada Youth Empowerment Project (NYEP) announced an exciting new project in Northern Nevada for disenfranchised youth. The organization has launched a girl’s home, which will provide a stable, nurturing environment for older, female youth who have been abused, abandoned or neglected.
The Nevada Youth Empowerment Project provides residential care with support services to older female youth, ages 17-21 that are making the transition form “dependent care” status in child welfare, detention, and mental health systems to an independent life in the community. NYEP also serves older, female youth who are deemed homeless.
More than 20,000 young adults annually, age out of the foster care system on a national level. They face sometimes insurmountable issues as they attempt to transition into independent living. Statistically, almost 40 percent are a cost to the community through their dependence on public assistance and Medicaid.
Recognizing that youth exiting public systems are not always ready at the age of 18, NYEP was developed to specifically address transitioning youth’s needs. The core purpose of the project is to assist femal foster youth in becoming empowered to acquire the concrete skills and knowledge as well as the emotional growth necessary to live successfully on their own.
“NYEP has targeted an underserved area of the population and I look forward to seeing the program provide these necessary services. There is a tremendous need in the community for this program” said Assemblyman Bernie Anderson.
The girls served by NYEP will benefit from cooperative and community living, development of crucial daily living skills, extensive support surrounding social and mental health issues, and the satisfaction of employment or volunteer work. NYEP presently has five beds available. For more information visit the website at www.NVyep.org.