Youth Services

Phone: 203-639-5058

Contacts: Tammy Kudla, JAD Coordinator - 203-639-5058 or tkudla@meridenct.gov

About Youth Services:

The Youth Services office provides programs, activities and services that promote both a positive, healthy community and develop healthy, capable young people and families. Our programming is geared towards adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18.

We are a member of the Connecticut Youth Services Association, which is charged with centrally coordinating the comprehensive delivery of services and advocacy for youth and their families. Our main source of funding for programming is the Youth Service Bureau grant from the Department of Children and Families. 

We strive to offer programming based on 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents, developed by the Search Institute to be the building blocks of healthy development that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

The state recently released a Juvenile Justice Equity Dashboard. Connecticut's Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) has developed this dashboard to monitor and examine juvenile justice system involvement across the state for youth of different races, ethnicities, and genders.

Current Programming:

•  Juvenile Assistance and Diversion Board (JAD): The Juvenile Assistance and Diversion Board, more commonly known as JAD, aims to divert first time juvenile offenders from entering the court system while offering meaningful non-judicial alternatives to the courts. A Board, made up of dedicated community members, meet twice per month and include representatives from the Police Department, Board of Education, Department of Children and Families, Superior Court for Juvenile Matters, and local community organizations. JAD follows the Connecticut Youth Services Association Best Practices delivery model. Click on the video below to learn more about why diversion works.
• Project Graduation support
• Funding to Meriden Parks and Recreation Department for youth and family programming
• Funding to Meriden Public Library for child and youth programming
• Youth Mini-Grants for youth developed and youth-led projects in Meriden: Our Youth Services office offers annual opportunities for Meriden youth to apply for mini-grants for projects to make Meriden a better place to live, work, and play.  Projects must be youth-developed and youth-led, under the guidance of an adult adviser at a recognized organization that serves Meriden. This program puts youth in a leadership position to make a difference in our community.
  • Youth Services Mini-Grant Application 2024 - Application closed for 2024.

  • Past Mini Grant Project Reports: 

    • Year 2022-23 Report
    • Year 2021-22 Report
• Campership administration support (summer) 

Financial Assistance Applications Now Being Accepted for 2024 Summer Camps

• English and Spanish language applications are now available for Meriden and Wallingford families, who seek financial assistance for youth to attend summer camp. Parents may begin contacting camps now.

 

Diversion Works from Connecticut Youth Services Assoc on Vimeo.

 

 

 

 

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