Our Story
Brookline Teen Outreach is more than a place for teens to hang out. It is a place for them to explore their potential and opportunities, a place for them to learn and grow, a place for them to be accepted no matter who they are or where they come from,
and a place to put the past behind them and look forward to a more positive future while building up the community around them.
Our team of volunteers is committed to carrying out this mission by providing free tutoring by tutors trained in many subject areas. Our center will provide the only mental health services in the area by licensed counselors. Our collaborations with other
area non-profits working toward the betterment of our community have already begun to make an impact. But most importantly it is our commitment to the teens of this area, our hope that they can accomplish all that they have the ability to achieve, and that
we can help set them on the path to success
Programming includes life skill building, ESL services, LGBTQ focused events, guest speakers from a wide range of disciplines, movie nights, youth produced activities.
Our Project
Our project is focused on moving the Brookline Teen Outreach to a space that is more visible to the community, and more accessible to our students. We are accomplishing amazing strides in programming, mental health and community service through our collaborations
within the community, but we are running out of room to accommodate and effectively reach our growing population.
Why It Matters
Brookline is the second largest neighborhood within the City of Pittsburgh comprised of approximately 13,500 residents. It is a close-knit community with numerous struggles. One of the largest problems is the pervasive drug culture, and crime rates well
above the national average.
The crime data displayed above is derived from the FBI's uniform crime reports for the year of 2013. (Source: areavibes.com)
The overall crime rate in Brookline is 60% higher than the national average. There are 1.85 daily crimes that occur in Brookline per capita. In Brookline, you have a 1 in 21 chance of becoming a victim of any crime. The high crime rate directly affects
the image of the neighborhood, and in turn, its residents. High crime rates limit the opportunities for teenagers to be out in their community because of safety concerns for themselves and on behalf of their parents.
During informal interviews, Brookline teenagers made the following statements:
“I’m not allowed to walk outside after 9pm,”
“I get offered drugs at least weekly, if not daily just walking down the
street,”
“There is no place [in Brookline] that wants us here,”
“Adults don’t care if we get hurt as long as we aren’t bothering them.”
Each of these statements reflects the reasons behind the need for a teen center. Fundamentally, the neighborhood is blind to the root of the problem and instead of aiding our most vulnerable population, treat these individuals as a nuisance, which only
exacerbates the problems of drugs, loitering, and crime. By creating a space that is both conveniently located and safe, we have opened up a new avenue for socialization, and created resources for services that are in demand in the community that will turn
the tide of drugs and violence.
Based on the data above, our target members are Brookline teens who are at-risk, looking to escape their current situation, those who seek an alternative to ‘hanging on the streets’, and conversely, those who are bullied, or not otherwise socially engaged
outside of school. We have set the bar high so that we will push to create something truly meaningful in this community. The intention behind this is that teenagers will voluntarily seek the center as a refuge and source of self-betterment, and that parents
will navigate toward the center on behalf of their children. In addition, we expect to have a significant amount of counseling referrals, tutoring referrals and those seeking to fulfill mandated service hours. Much of the initial membership base will come
from Resurrection Youth Group. Based on the record of accomplishment for student involvement at Resurrection, there is a great deal of potential for growth. In seven years, membership has expanded from five people to forty and is ever evolving. Feedback suggests
that we could reach many more local teens by having a larger and more accessible space. In addition, by creating a new space, we are inviting students to have a place of their own and to take ownership of their place in the community.
What Brookline teens and residents have to say:
“…taught me the values of togetherness, community, and charity. I think it helped me a lot as a future teacher because those are all the values I need to instill, and have instilled, in my life and in my work.” ~ Briana Zungli, Former Youth
Group Member
“Caitlin is attentive to the needs of the individual as well as those of our parish and community. She gently finds ways to build upon each young person’s strengths, and has provided a safe place for them to grow, learn, ask questions and build
relationships.” ~ Bridget Burns, Facilitator, Parish Pastoral Council, Resurrection Church
“I would say that the youth group was something we needed at a time when stuff was difficult with our teenage son, it was somewhere I could trust him to be at and be involved with peers his age, doing things for the community and learning along
the way.” ~ Lisa Wilson, Youth Group Parent
“Caitlin is able to resonate with younger people is that she has never lost her inner youth, maintaining the ability to stay enthusiastic as well as deeply interested in the social politics that emerge amongst the confused and troubled. This bridge
between generations allowed Caitlin to guide us toward new people, new places, and new opportunities to do good in the world and in the community.” ~ Nathan King, former youth group member, current Service Project Liaison, Assistant Adult Leader
“Youth group built my confidence, made me feel important in this big world and exposed me to a bigger picture in life. A few of the greatest things I have taken from youth group are; respect is very important, to never wrongly judge one for anything,
that giving is far better than receiving, and that there is always good in everything no matter how bad the situation may be.” ~ Gionna Salazar, Youth Group Member
Our Team
Since 2007, President, Caitlin McNulty, has served as the Youth Minister of Resurrection Church. She has built lasting and meaningful relationships with the students in the program and the community that will be carried through to Brookline Teen Outreach.
She has created a self-sustaining, financially secure group that services a diverse group of students. She has also worked as a high school teacher and ESL tutor and teacher aide.
Diana Fisherkeller, is a dedicated and client-focused Licensed Professional Counselor with proven expertise in outpatient, wraparound, and school settings with children, adults, and families of diverse backgrounds and diagnoses. Experienced in the provision
of individual, family, and couples counseling, using Cognitive Behavioral, Family Behavioral Therapy, and Solution Focused approaches. Specialties include Adolescent Mental Health, Adventure Based Counseling, Aggression Replacement Training, and Treatment
of Eating Disorders/Anxiety/Depression/LGBT issues.
Nathan King and Ashley Lau were members of the Resurrection Youth Group at its inception and have remained actively involved as peer mentors as they moved into their 20s. Both Nathan and Ashley feel strongly about the need for and mission of Brookline Teen
Outreach and have been integral in growing our efforts within the community.
Our Budget
What your money can help us do:
* $10 - Buy supplies for tutoring
* $50 - Invest in a swipe card system to keep students safe
* $100 - Buy a desk and chair for students
* $250 - Tuition for one student to attend an eye-opening mission trip
* $500 - Provide a computer for student learning
* $1,500 - Provide one month of rent
Please, give what you can. No donation is too small to make a difference.
Learn More:
Website:
https://trucio.com/organization/pittsburgh-pa-15226-brookline-teen-outreach/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BrooklineTeenOutreach
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Brookline_teen
