Foster parents are well trained and supported by Friends of Youth staff. Healthy Start is a free program where young parents can make new friends, learn parenting skills, and plan for the future. Guiding families while they are young increases appropriate child care and prevents child abuse later on. Our professional counselors have experience dealing with all types of family and personal issues. Counseling is a part of many Friends of Youth programs.
Classes teach parenting skills such as communication, discipline, and child care.
The Kirkland Teen Center, the Snoqualmie Valley Youth Hub, and the Lower Valley Youth Programs are a free and safe place for young people to have fun with their friends and enjoy games, sports, drama, music, community events and much more. Our teams of youth workers go to places where teens gather to build trust, dispense food vouchers, and provide access to resources. The team links youth to shelter and other Friends of Youth programs. A caring adult can enrich the life of a young person by being a good role model, by giving encouragement and support, or by having fun together. Mentors in our program do all this and more for students of various ages in Bellevue, Lake Washington and Issaquah School Districts.