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SECTION 2 - PAGE I - PLAINDEALEft • WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 4, 1984 New life style begins for young men at Youth Opportunities Unlimited By Kurt Begalka Shaw Press Media f.U., for some, will )le new life style, fes and behavior, as self-image, will be Jred. Hopefully, changes will occur so that you will find yourself prepared to lead a more * responsible life after you leave the program.'? This paragraph from the orientation booklet is one of the first things new residents of Youth Opportunites Unlimited of McHenry County read. Y.O.U. provides an alter­ native for teenage boys ages 14- 18. "Most of the young men have experienced setbacks at home, school or in the community," Director Greg Prestipino said. Y.O.U. began in September 1981 with a one-year grant of $113,000 from the Illinois Law Enforcement Commission. Since August, 1982, the organization has been totally independent* Once situated in the old children's home on Illinois 47, it moved to the old Bigelow house adjacent to Woodstock City Park in February 1983. The City of Woodstock leased ttye property on Kishwaukee Valley Road to Y.O.U. for 10 years, rent-free. Prestipino said 80 to 85 per­ cent of his clients arrive by referral from the McHenry County Court Services. Others are referred by load agencies such as the Family Service and • Community Mental Health Center or Youth Service Bureau. Betty Affield, supervisor of McHenry County Juvenile Court Services, works with parole officers in determining which boys are sent to Y.O.U. The county purchases seven beds per year at a cost of $34 per day. An emergency bed also is kept open. The yearly cost of maintaining a single youth at Y.O.U. is $10,950. The boys are responsible for attending school or finding work. If they are working, each is expected to pay a certain portion of his room and board and buy his own clothing. The idea is to give them an interest in the house, their future and, inevitably, their success. Before becoming a resident of the Y.O.U. house, each boy is frequent staffing," she said. It allows greater parental in­ volvement as well, which tends to shorten stays.. Before Y.O.U., greater travel expenses and time were required for staffing and con­ ferences with individuals. Af­ field said the minimum room and board cost elsewhere is $42 per day. The county provides ap­ proximately 60 percent of the organization's annual $100,000 budget. The remainder must come from contributions and grants. The Dr. Schll Foun­ dation recently donated $17,500; the McHenry County Mental Health 708 Board gave, $12,000 and the townships gave $8,000. Residents progress through a series of "contracts." Each sets certain goals in five life-skill areas: personal hygiene, em­ ployment and education, budgeting and money management, counseling and house and community living. Counseling helps residents learn screened carefully by the staff responsibility, how to manage buildings and juvenile court. Those with chronic behavior problems or those accused of serious crimes are not accepted. Ms. Affield is convinced it is the boys' best interest to be sent there. "We like the idea they are nearby and we can shave leisure time and relate with his peers and the community. Each contract lasts ap­ proximately two weeks. Daily life is extremely structured. For example, those ages 14 and 15 will only be allowed to take earned free time with staff, family volunteers or another structured activity. Residents can go home during the weekends, but only after filling out a request form outlining how he will be tran­ sported, what his plans are while away, why he deserves the pass and what he hopes to learn from it. Every Monday night "problem solving" takes place. Fears and frustrations are aired in a relaxed rap session covering self-image, controlling anger, accepting authority, stealing, dealing with alcohol and drugs, lying and fronting. "When most come in they're going to 'front,' " Prestipino said. But the facade always falls. "When it breaks down they have to pull themselves back up," he added. "That's crucial to whether they'll make it in the program." At 8 p.m. Wednesday the house meets in an activity planning group. It teaches decision-making skills and cooperation. House meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Y.O.U. Clinical Coordinator Steve Moore acknowledged that half the time the residents are "feeding him a line." But it,is that other 50 percent that en­ courages him. There are chores to do. Each of the seven residents oversees a certain area of the house on a rotating basis. If something isn't done or a rule is broken, the house makes a decision in a town-meeting format. One example of self-policing oc­ curred when two of their fellow residents missed curfew. They spent the next day tied together. "It's their life," Prestipino said. "They have to be in control of that." They resent being confronted with negative behavior. The staff helps the residents to secure jobs and pursue their education. They teach vocational and organizational skills. Group activities at the YMCA create a sense of togetherness. "They come up to us and do all that junk you do with your mom and dad," Moore said. "Not only do they get three square meals a day, they have support." Prestipino believes with self- confidence comes success. "If you tell a kid he's (garbage) long enough, he's going to believe it," he said. The members of Y.O.U. help with community • service projects like Fair Diddley, train depot renovation, arid doing manual labor for Church Women United^ "They feel good about 60'x 96'x 14' Building Package Includes: • 1 30 x 14 EWS Dbl Slide Door • 1 24 x 14 SWS Dbl Slide Door •1 3068 Solid Steel Walk Door •12 9 ft. Skylites SAVE ALMOST M200! on firm orders received by Feb. 10 and shipped by Feb. 29, 1984. A 10% cancellation charge will be in effect. fps] McHENRY FS tt®r#rigo - McHenry' Eflkhorn Woodstock Z«ndo Huntley Chemung themselves," Prestipino said, "like they're winning for once." It is a tremendous respon­ sibility for the staff. "Sometimes you're a mom," Moore said. "You cover all the bases. I have seven people's lives I'm monitoring." Permanent residents live at the house between six months and a , year. Follow-up in­ terviews are conducted the next three months. Moore and Prestipino acknowledged putting in a minimum of 50 hours each week. "My theory is we're having 100 percent success," Moore said. "They're going to pick up' something." Results frequently take time to show. "TTiat's what's so different about the business of social services," Prestipino said. "You don't see those im­ mediate results." Y.O.U. President Peg Stinespring said: "It's kind of hard when you're a volunteer group to take the time to reach everybody. If every group in the community would give $10, it would be fantastic." Prestipino acknowledged: "When you see the guys come back, that's what really keeps you going. The payoff is there." NOTHING can give ytili a better workout than you give yourself at part of SUmmers exercise group. Our program it specifically detigned to tafety stretch, tighten and tone mutclet while burning off caloriet. WE GO BEYOND MACHINES! WE GO BEYOND AEROBICS! We dont simply dance to music, we EXCERISE to mutic! We challenge you! Encourage you! We have fun...' but we take our fun eerioutly! 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