The BYA Camp Committee offers summer camping, recreational and other enrichment activities for children from at-risk families in the Birmingham Public Schools area. BYA supports both day and overnight camping experiences at various camps, and works with the Birmingham Public Schools Community Education "Super Summer" program and the Birmingham YMCA to coordinate scholarship funding and to enhance each camper's experience.

The Family Education Committee provides a variety of programs designed to improve communication between parents and their children, help parents understand child development, and enhance their parenting skills. BYA often co-sponsors programs and speakers with other groups. We were initial co-sponsors of the Michigan Father's Conference.

In the past two years Birmingham Youth Assistance has presented programs on:

• 2008-2009
  Eight Habits of the Heart
  Featuring: Clifton Talulbert's
  Taulbert believes that the Eight Habits of the Heart are essential for developing Leadership, Embracing Diversity, Mentoring, and Delivering Commitment and Collaboration among teams and families.

• 2007-2008
  Active Parenting - Lunch & Learn
  3 Part series on parenting services for parents of children ages 5-12
  In partnership with Birmingham Public Schools Elementary Counselors

• 2007-2008
  Age of Entitlement: Kids who want Everything and Think They Should Have It!
  Featuring: Jerome Price, M.A.

• 2006-2007
  Parenting Boys
  Featuring psychologist and former Detroit Free Press columnist Ted Braude
• 2006-2007
  Parenting Girls, with Kimber Bishop-Yanke, President of Girls Empowered, which offers courses to girls from 4-17 years of age.
• 2006-2007
  Self-injury and other self-destructive behaviors, featuring Leslie Ayers, Clinical Director of Perspectives of Troy, founder of the Adolescent EDGE Program and specialist in teen self-injury.

Adult volunteers are matched with youngsters, aged five to 17, mentoring to them one-to-one. Adult applicants are screened and trained prior to matching. Additional training and consultation are provided throughout the match period.

Each adult volunteer is asked to commit one to two hours per week to a youngster for at least one year. In addition, they participate in group and countywide activities. Many matches extend far beyond the initial commitment. BYA always has many more children seeking a mentor than mentors available. Click on the "Contact Us" button to begin the process of becoming a BYA mentor.

Retail Fraud Prevention

BYA's caseworker and youth officers from our local police departments enlighten children about the familial, social and legal consequences of shoplifting. BYA presents this program to fifth graders at the request of counselors in Birmingham Elementary Schools. Counselors, click on the "Contact Us" button for more information or to arrange for BYA to present the program in their schools.