Management Staff

Wesley "Chip" Rich, District Vice President,

Executive Director, Urban Services YMCA:

crich@ymcasf.org (415) 561-0631 x111

Liz Jackson-Simpson, Executive Director of Program Development/Deputy Director:

ejackson@ymcasf.org (415) 561-0631 x105

Khin Thu, District Administrative Services Director: kthu@ymcasf.org (415) 561-0631 x109

Click here for more staff

Urban Services YMCA is...

Mentoring * Academic Enrichment * Delinquency Prevention * Recreation * Truancy Intervention * Counseling * Youth Development * Tutoring * Violence Prevention * Prevention Education * Bridging the Digital Divide * Parent Education * Diversion * Community Service * Building Resiliency *

What Urban Services YMCA does...

Builds Safe Communities

Urban Services YMCA operates a variety of violence prevention programs throughout the Bay Area. While each program approaches the issue of violence differently, the overall goal of these programs is to place the ability to prevent violence in the hands of those who have the primary ability to do so: children, youth, and families.

On local high school campuses Urban Services YMCA facilitates teams of students as they develop strategic plans for reducing on-campus violence, including creating tool kits that can be used by other school campuses. Within the community, our work focuses on the development of healthy bonds between children, youth, and adults.

We also work with targeted populations to reduce levels of violence. Strategies include bilingual parent support groups and training youth service providers (including teachers) on how to create safe environments for youth.

We deliver services in a youth development model primarily by providing safe options for supervised and engaging school-based programming. Many of these programs bring together youth and adults from diverse parts of our community to break down the walls of racial and socioeconomic differences.

Supports Academic Enrichment and Excellence

Urban Services YMCA provides a broad variety of communities with a diverse array of programs that foster learning, enhance educational experiences, and improve reading and writing skills. While each program in each community approaches the task of supporting academic enrichment differently, all of our services increase educational performance, focus on traditional academic achievement, and develop life skills within youth to excel as adults in today's world.

Our street-based Truancy Intervention efforts place a keen focus on re-engaging students with their schools through intensive case management, tutoring, parent education, and adjunct services such as recreation and mentoring. On local school campuses we support teams of counselors who work with youth to overcome hurdles to academic progress, including specific programs for school aged mothers and youth that are emotionally/physically abused. On-campus and community based academic programs are delivered at key "at-risk" hours, including the high risk afterschool hours of 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., plus on weekends and school breaks (winter, spring, summer).

For people of all ages (elementary school to senior citizens) we provide computer training, computer mentoring, and vocational computer training. Our services are client-driven, with families setting the agenda for their lessons and how they will use the computer. Our staff are creative professionals who are committed to engaging and creatively working with new computer users of all ages, abilities, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Promotes Youth Development and Leadership

We reach and support youth from a diversity of underserved communities by using a youth development approach - we provide them with safe supports and opportunities that may not be readily available. While specific interventions vary from venue to venue, in all cases, we provide youth with a means to be involved in making decisions, participating as leaders, and belonging to pro-social groups.

In local communities, we recruit and train caring adults who connect with youth and provide quality emotional support through mentoring. On local school campuses we recruit and support teams of youth leaders to help build quality relationships through programs that offer guidance, practical support, and safe spaces.

For all of our programs we have created a feedback loop for youth so they can provide us with the input we need to fine tune our programs and deliver fun and challenging opportunities for youth to build the skills they care about. From local student populations, we enlist youth in a variety of opportunities for community involvement - such as violence prevention projects, neighborhood clean-ups, and volunteer services.

The overarching goal of our efforts is to increase young people's developmental assets and to give them opportunities to experience empowerment, quality relationships with caring adults, and awareness that they can make positive differences in their communities.