4-H is a community where youth learn by doing hands-on activities that teach skills for now and in the future. In 4-H, you can make friends, have fun, give back, and try new things with the help of caring adults. Whatever your interests or goals, there’s a 4-H experience for you. Attend a workshop to learn something new. Join a local 4-H club to find a place where you belong. Plan service projects to support your community. Build leadership skills to help you succeed in life. Sign up for projects to explore your interests. You make 4-H what you want it to be.
Provides mentoring, rite of passage, leadership development, cultural connection, manhood/womanhood (adulthood) training, life skills, job/career readiness and social and emotional well-being to at risk youth ages 7-21.
Member of Project Safe Aurora. More information about Project Safe Aurora is available here: https://kanehealth.com/Pages/Violence-Prevention.aspx
Free gun locks available for pick-up: To schedule a pick-up, email ricky1rodgers@aamou.org or call 630-606-1910
Free drop-in hours serve all teens 5-12th grade with free tutoring for grades 5-12, Teen Advisory Board, Teen-led programs and clubs. Free meals served at drop-in with the Northern Illinois Food Bank for 18 and under, Free Summer Camps.
Offers faith-based youth groups
The Boys & Girls Club of Elgin is an after-school and out-of-school based youth enrichment program with elementary, middle, and high school locations across Kane County. We provide full meals, safe spaces, and caring adults who deliver programming rooted in the arts, sports, recreation, health & wellness, academic success, social emotional learning, social justice, service & leadership, and college & career readiness.
Dance-African & Liturgical (Praise Dance), Education-Reading & Math Tutoring/ African American History, Mentorship- Meals, Field Trips, Group Discussions, Volunteerism, Galas, Outreach
Parent/Caregiver Learning, Support Groups, SEL@Home support for Parent-Child Interactions on Social/ Emotional, Resilience-Building, and Self-Regulation Skills, Community-Based Facilitated Learning Groups for Teens/Young Adults (12-24 years old). Youth program exploring personal strngths, unique qualities, and relationships.
After school programs, homework help, mental health services for youth
Defy Ventures is a nonprofit with a vision to cut recidivism in half by leveraging entrepreneurship to increase economic opportunity and transform lives. Defy's programs are helping currently and formerly incarcerated people defy the odds by providing pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and a successful reentry. Defy has free Entrepreneurship Bootcamp classes that provide the educational foundation to start a small business. We couple the academic content with access to our executive volunteers who provide free mentoring and coaching. We also have a a free Business Accelerator for justice impacted individuals who complete the Bootcamp and desire to scale their business. At the end of the Business Accelerator, individuals can pitch their idea for start-up funding from Defy.
Outreach and engagement, liaison and case management services, resistant clients, limited free counseling, and victim services
Family Service Association of Greater Elgin Area provides a full array of comprehensive, outpatient mental health services.
Founded in 2021 to address the needs of youth in the foster system and other families with teens in crisis (facing homelessness, food scarcity, lack of parental guidance, etc.) in order to provide them with the best chance of becoming independent and successful adults. Youth aged 13-24 are paired with an adult mentor for assistance in gaining life skills, confidence building, school attendance, and access to services that the family may need to maintain adequate housing, utilities and food.
While we believe that everyone, not only girls, should have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of software development, we also recognize that there is a long-standing marked imbalance in the ratio of men/women in technology. With a team of seasoned software developers as instructors, the Fox Valley Girls Coding Club aims to provide an environment in which girls can explore not only the tenets of well-written code, but the real-world process required to deliver software projects as well as an understanding of computer hardware.
Support, encourage, uplift girls in personal and professional endeavors
The Kane County Sheriff's Office special victims unit serves the unincorporated area of Kane County. The special victims unit umbrellas senior services, serious crimes against minors, domestic violence and sexual assault victims. The SVU focuses on investigating crimes, as well as offers social work support for community members in need of services. These services include: mental health support, substance use, juvenile complaints, hoarding, homelessness, veteran assistance, and any case requiring social services.
The KCSO also offers the A Way Out program, which provides substance abuse assessment 24/7 to anyone in Kane County that wishes to seek recovery. Appropriate inpatient or outpatient referral and placement are determined by assessment and based on availability. If you are unable to pay for treatment due to a lack of insurance or financial resources, you will not be turned away from participation in the program. Kane County works with providers that are able to accept a number of different insurance plans and accommodate those without insurance.
Opportunity Youth are ages 16 - 24 who face challenges in completing school and gaining a foothold into employment. During high rates of unemployment, youth employment takes the longest to recover with slow growth in jobs offering advancement.
LITE creates experiential learning sessions for youth to gain skills and knowledge necessary to achieve self-sufficiency and upwardly mobile careers. Collaboration with partners ensures a comprehensive approach to meet needs and strengthen support networks.
Las Lunitas is offered to self-identified Latina adolescents between the ages of 13 to 18. The aim of Las Lunitas is to provide a non-judgmental safe place for adolescent Latinas to explore, process and cope with stressors stemming from home, school and friends, developing empowerment through support, education, community mentorship and resources. Behavioral health services for adults.
At this time, we only take private insurance. However, when available, we do offer services at a lower rate. It is advised that the center be called to confirm the availability of these discounted services.
Aurora OTM coordinates an annual Back to School Celebration with free school supplies and backpacks, wellness checks, inspirational speakers and motivational sessions.
Their Mother's Touch Kitchen provides free food to families and individuals in need. Sons of Tomorrow mentoring program connects youth and adults with mentors to guide, support, and inspire personal and professional growth.
Academic achievement, job placement and training, equal access to employment, housing and cultural enrichment for low-income and displaced citizens. Help securing equal opportunities for all disadvantaged persons and people of color, including African Americans, women and disabled persons. Programs: Workforce development works by preparing workers with the skills necessary for a specific type of job. Home ownership; financial literacy workshops Specialized skills (i.e.: computer literacy) Small business navigation, Youth and Education programs focuses on empowering youth to earn their degree and certification to become employable.
Faith-based support, homework help, healthy snacks, mentoring, social, recreation
Empowering Youth through the Arts: A safe and inclusive space that harnesses the transformative power of the arts, including dance and life skill workshops. Our center aims to uplift and support the mental wellness of youth from diverse backgrounds through peer support. By fostering creativity, providing essential life skills, and openly addressing mental health challenges, we aim to dissolve the stigma surrounding these issues and offer a beacon of hope for all young individuals facing silent struggles. There is no fee to participate in programming.
Equips youth for life success. START Program's vision is to be catapults for change, to be a constant hub and network for our youth. They will be able to work well in a group, but not be afraid to stand alone when necessary. They will be better equipped mentally. They will make conscious decisions and better choices throughout life. They will become more emotionally sound, learning to communicate constructively and effectively by having a platform to vent and release without being judged. They will also become physically fit. Exercise has been proven to relieve stress, to promote respect among peers, and also attack obesity head on. We focus on community and youth development, violence prevention, building bridges for success, maintaining family structure and support systems, and more.
Free gun locks available for pick-up. To schedule a pick-up, email: info@STARTprograms.org or call: 312-838-5200.
WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO FOOD, TOILETRIES, HOUSEHOLD GOODS, AND BABY ITEMS. WE ALSO DO REFERRALS.
Offers teens opportunities to build friendchips and recreate together in a faith-based context.
Leadership development and college readiness services.
Job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school or may have graduated and would benefit from the programs. Youth learn vocational skills in construction, (onsite training, industry certifications, and career readiness skills, education; academic skills, GED Certification, and college readiness, leadership, coaching, community service, and Youth Voice and input. Youth also provide community service through the required construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods. YouthBuild Elgin is part of the Illinois YouthBuild Coalition, which works on behalf of Illinois’ YouthBuild programs to serve young adults across the state. Youth Build Elgin is also funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program, which prepares workers for quality jobs and promotes the attainment of skills and knowledge necessary for success in a knowledge-based economy.
Services support LGBTQ+ youth and their parents, drop-in center provides a space for sharing, support, and education.
