SOUTH INDIANA – March 20-26 is National Safe Places Week in Clark and Floyd counties.
Local officials in Jeffersonville, New Albany and Sellersburg proclaimed the week a time to raise awareness about the importance of youth safety and the dangers young people face when they feel they have nowhere to go. go or they are in crisis.
The week also aims to highlight the Safe Place program, which brings together businesses and volunteers to provide help and safety to young people facing abuse, neglect, bullying or serious family issues.
“Unfortunately young people face troubling issues in today’s world and it’s up to all of us to provide solutions, places where young people can go for help,” said Laurie Jackson , president and CEO of National Safe Place. “National Safe Places Week is a great opportunity for communities across the country to assess and strengthen their youth safety nets.
It is estimated that more than one million young people run away from home each year due to abuse, neglect, family conflict and other issues. The Safe Place program is an option for young people who feel they have nowhere to go.
Safe Place consists of a nationwide network of nearly 20,000 partner businesses and community locations – such as fast food restaurants, convenience stores, fire stations, public buses and libraries – that display the Safe Place sign in their windows. .
When young people enter the designated safe places and ask for help, trained staff members connect them to the appropriate youth shelter for help. National Safe Places Week recognizes participating places and volunteers for their unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of at-risk youth.
There are 19 Safe Place programs serving youth in 31 counties across Indiana with 2,000 fixed and mobile sites ready to help any Indiana youth in need.
In 2019, 450 young people were helped through the Safe Place program and nearly 150,000 young people were educated on how to get help through Safe Place in times of crisis. The Safe Place program, locally operated by Clark County Youth Shelter and Family Services, Inc., partners with businesses and community organizations such as Awesome Sports Camp, the Fire Department, and Kroger to provide young people in Clark and Floyd County immediate security and access to support services Resources.
National Safe Place provides training and technical assistance to youth service agencies and businesses interested in expanding the Safe Place program. In the United States, nearly 20,000 businesses and community places participate as Safe Place places display the yellow Safe Place sign and connect teens in crisis with a partner youth services agency.
Safe Place was established as a Shelter House outreach program by the YMCA of Greater Louisville in 1983 and remains a wholly owned subsidiary of the YMCA of Greater Louisville. Since its inception, Safe Place has helped over 300,000 young people. For more information, visit www.nationalsafeplace.org.
The overall mission of Clark County Youth Shelter and Family Services, Inc. is “to serve youth and families in a safe and caring environment.” The heart of all the proposed projects is service to young people and families in need. By developing these important assets and families to build on, our community has a greater chance of success for future generations. https://www.ccysfs.org
