With Troubled Youth Programs Indianapolis Organizations Try To Help Young People

By Robert Parker


There was a time when communities were closely knot and where people actually cared about each other. Young people were nurtured and encouraged to make something of themselves. Those days are gone. Families are falling apart and societies have become self centred. In so many cases, it is the younger generation that comes apart. Young people roaming the street, unemployed and without purpose are clearly evident everywhere, especially in the inner cities. But with troubled youth programs Indianapolis charities are trying to make a difference.

The family has always been the cornerstone of any healthy society. When the family structure disintegrates, society also suffers. Unfortunately, dysfunctional families are now commonplace. Parents are driven and far to busy to spend quality time with their children. In the process, many young people grow up isolated and left to their own devices. Some charities try to create systems where these young people will feel accepted and needed.

Some organizations have schemes that focus on skills training. They are often in partnership with private enterprises to not only equip young people with skills but to also help them find employment. The idea is that someone with a job and a steady income will become a steady and reliable member of society. Sadly, it is often necessary to first overcome other obstacles before a young person can be trained.

The number of young people roaming the street, surviving on begging and petty crime is growing at an alarming rate. A large number of these young people have no self respect. They feel worthless and they see themselves as failures. Thankfully, there are organizations that provide counselling to help youngsters to believe in themselves and to develop a positive attitude to life.

Substance abuse is a major problem among young, disfranchised people. Many organizations focus on this problem, believing that training and counselling will not have any effect while the individual concerned is still dependent upon one or more substances. These rehabilitation programs are expensive and time consuming, however, and the drop out rate is disappointingly high. A single success, however, is cause for celebration.

A few churches, charities and even official social welfare departments have realized that one of the prime reasons why young people revert back to drugs, fail to hold their jobs and stop attending counselling sessions is that they have no place to stay. These organizations provide shelters for these youngsters and they make sure that they have at least one balanced meal every day.

There are those that try to help young people in trouble, but there are too few of them. Most of those doing their best are beset with funding problems. Food, shelter, training and counselling all cost money and there is too little of it. So many charities have had to close their doors and many others had to limit their services. Only a fraction of the budgets available to local authorities state authorities and the federal government is spent on helping.

The young need help. More and more youngsters are caught up in drugs, crime and aberrant behavioural patterns. Society as a whole should care more and realize that these youngsters are indeed the future of the country.




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