70% of teens say anxiety and depression are major problems amongst their peers
(pewsocialtrends.org)

Ages 16-24 today are 63 times more lonely than those over  age 75
(reported by bbc.com/news)

76% of men and women ages 18-24 regularly seek out porn
(josh.org and Barna group)

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people
(nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics)

Only 4% of Gen Z hold to a Biblical worldview
(impact360institute.org)

Daunting Challenges Face Generation Z Today

Moms are concerned for keeping their teens off the streets.

Economically distressed household
Parent or guardian divorced or separated
Parent or guardian that has died
Parent or guardian that has served time in jail
Saw or heard violence in the home
Has witnessed or been a victim of violence in the neighborhood
Has lived with a person who is mentally ill or suicidal or depressed
 Has lived with someone who has an alcohol or drug problem
 Is often treated or judged unfairly due to race/ethnicity

1.  Economically distressed household
2.  Parent or guardian divorced or separated
3.  Parent or guardian that has died
4.  Parent or guardian that has served time in jail
5.  Saw or heard violence in the home
6.  Has witnessed or been a victim of violence
     in the neighborhood
7.  Has lived with a person who is mentally ill
     or suicidal or depressed
 8. Has lived with someone who has an
     alcohol or drug problem
 9. Is often treated or judged unfairly due to
     race/ethnicity

listed by the 2016 Nat'l Survey of Children's Health are:

The Nine ACES

In a Dec. 14, 2019 interview of Raleigh’s Police Chief by Cullen Browder on WRAL’s On the Record (12/14/19), the Chief pointed to the need to serve children, in response to questions about the rise in violent crimes in Raleigh. She stated that these crimes stem primarily from relationship problems and referred to recently popularized research on the effects of “ACES,” an acronym for “adverse childhood experiences,” which have been shown by leading research to produce adverse lifetime social, mental and physical health outcomes if not addressed.

The Raleigh Police Chief stated very frankly that “if we do not find a way to help children deal with these, we are in trouble.” 

The Need for Effective Preventive Programs:

Clubs In The City is positioned in the East Central Zone in the county, which has the lowest median household income and a high incidence of ACES.

Residents of the Zone report poverty, mental health, scarcity of jobs, crime and STD's as key concerns in the Assessment. They stress the need for services to youth. (Wake Co. Health Needs Assessment published in 2016).

Clubs In The City is a ministry whose strategies for building resilience and thriving in youth affected by ACES are built upon four leading bodies of research & guided by Biblical truth.

32% of children in our Zone in Wake Co. are living in poverty, according to the 2016 Wake Co. Community Health Needs Assessment.

The Wake Co. Detention Center
, reports a population on any given day fluctuating between 1123 to 1580, with 32,000 entering annually and 12,000 bonding out or otherwise permitted to leave during the pre-trial period.

10% of NC youth in 2016-17 have had a parent behind bars at some time, according to studies by the Annie E. Casey Fdn.

While unemployment is a pressing concern identified in the Wake County Health Needs Assessment (2016) by citizens in our Zone, The NC Business News Wire and a Duke CFO Survey Report, indicate employers are having difficulty hiring and filling many available jobs due to lack of qualified employees applying and ‘employability’ factors such as soft skills, work ethic, reliability, motivation and professionalism. (As reported by WRAL's Tech Wire 12/12/18 and 6/13/18).

The Raleigh Police Chief stressed the need to focus on youth to give them a desire to aspire toward a better life and the belief they can attain it. (WRAL's On The Record 12/14/19).

A staggering 17,797 cases of STIs and 741 pregnancies in youth ages 14-19 were documented in Wake Co. in 2013. (The Wake Co. Youth Well Being Profile pub. 2015)

96,400 human trafficking ads were uncovered in the City of Raleigh in 2018 (Reported by the SBI in a recent community information meeting 8/29/19 on Human Trafficking)

NC ranks 10 in the nation for trafficking, with over 30% of victims being minors. (According to The Salvation Army’s Project Fight)

1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men are sexually assaulted before the age of 18 and these are highest at risk for trafficking. (Reported by Project C.O.P.E.)

Speakers from the Salvation Army’s Project Fight and from Project C.O.P.E. urged youth serving organizations to be forthright in addressing sexual dangers and in training youth in healthy relationships and offering career development.

The need for strategic supports for youth is clear--lest they fall prey to destructive forces that exploit vulnerability or  fail to be ready for future opportunities, and repeat the cycle of poverty.

The Clubs In The City model and strategies are established in a multi-faceted knowledge and experience base in Human Services, Community Development, Youth Development, Biblical Education and Christian Missions.

Clubs In The City programs are carefully designed to release creativity and identify “sparks” (intrinsic areas of interest and gifting that ignite motivation and promote well-being and reflect our God-given created purpose.) This is the motivation and creativity that rising generations will need to pursue innovation and flexibility in the future world of study and work, as automation replaces many current means of employment. Clubs In The City programs feature many areas of skill and talent with special focus on arts and technology. Research by the Search Institute states that youth who know their sparks and have adult support in developing them, are less likely to experience depression and engage in acts of violence against others. They are more likely to have higher grades and school attendance rates, be socially competent and physically healthy, volunteer to help others and be good stewards of the earth and its resources. 54% of youth have sparks in the creative arts. (Discover Your Sparks, stepituptothrive.org) 

Clubs In The City programs are designed to grow youth in Christian character, nurture a vision and understanding of healthy families and establish a Biblical worldview. If the body of Christ does not fully take its place to break the bonds of despair through humble and compassionate serving rooted in authentic relationships—and teach and model values that lead to healthy lifestyles—the groundswell of eroding values and broken families, and the vulnerability to gangs, criminal lifestyles, marxist ideologies and a victim mentality will overtake more and more of our society.

Clubs In The City represents a very thorough and concentrated model of mentoring to instill hope, foster a new identity and open youth to opportunity. Afterschool programs and teen centers that provide academic mentoring, recreation, and safe, positive environments in the after school hours are important. But Clubs In The City’s Three-Track Teen Program is designed to fill a complimentary and necessary niche by going deeper in its mentoring impact. Its programs are found to significantly enhance academic performance by improving overall well-being.

Clubs In The City is designed to reach out to the most disadvantaged and disconnected youth through intentional community outreach. Youth most vulnerable to “life on the streets” whose parents work long hours; youth from generational poverty; youth whose family structures are broken and whose communities are distressed and crime-ridden are served.

Clubs In The City programs represent a very fun and culturally sensitive model of Christian missions outreach to invite youth into the vibrant hope we have in Christ and a transforming personal walk with Christ. The focus of Clubs In The City programs is expressing the great and bountiful love of our Heavenly Father and His invitation to be part of His forever family. Clubs In The City is a ministry for the church and by Christ’s people for this day and hour. Programs demonstrate the goodness of the Father in a tangible way that is felt and experienced.

Clubs In The City programs garner a large sector of volunteer involvement by operating on Saturdays and evenings. 



Why Clubs In The City? 

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