Manterfly Youth Development

Manterfly was established to be a liaison between at-risk youths and opportunities for success. The mission of Manterfly is to ensure that at-risk youth have the opportunity to reach their full potential and become productive members of society. Manterfly (MYD) has developed a very unique mentoring center that offers a safe stable and nurturing environment for youth and adults. The center is housed in a 5000 square foot building that offers a food pantry for needy families, job resource center, music studio, game room, computers and internet, woodworking as well as various other groups focused towards skill building. Manterfly’s mission is to assist families in providing safe, stable, and nurturing environments for their children through the delivery of counseling and mentoring services that: Build on family strengths; Demonstrate each family member is valued, respected, and capable of making constructive change; Focus on achieving the service outcomes desired by families and referring agencies; Increase the capacity of families to deal effectively with life’s challenges and; Help families realize their potential to be contributing members of the community.We seek to break the cycle of self-destructive and criminal behavior that is often passed from parents to children and from older siblings to younger siblings. Reduce the recidivism rate of at-risk youth. Reduce gateway lifestyle behaviors that commonly lead to more serious anti-social or criminal behaviors. (Such gateway behaviors include but not limited to: gang involvement, the usage of tobacco and alcohol, the usage of inhalants and other drugs, sexual promiscuity and other forms of self destructive behaviors). Make positive goal oriented changes by improving school performance, and working on immediate and long-term employment and career goals. Improve the capacity of an individual to cope with the various challenges of the future. Develop communication skills, problem solving techniques, intellectual curiosity, social flexibility and tolerance, and a sense of responsibility.