Youth Services Overview

Oakland County Youth Assistance is dedicated to the prevention of juvenile delinquency, child abuse and child neglect in the 26 communities within the county and is administered under the auspices of the Oakland County Probate Court.  Youth Assistance programs are community-based and developed by volunteers.

Novi Youth Assistance operated with the sponsorship of the Oakland County Probate Court/Circuit Court-Family Division, the Novi School District, the City of Novi, with principal funding supplied through the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.

The Oakland County Probate Court/Circuit Court-Family Division does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to its programs, activities, or services, as required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  The Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Contact us at:
Novi Youth Assistance
45175 W. Ten Mile Road
Novi, MI 48375
248-347-0410

Sponsors

Oakland County Probate Court/Oakland County Circuit Court/Family Division
Novi Public Schools
City of Novi
Oakland County Board of Commissioners

Assisting Families While Building A Community

We are an organization made up of community volunteers, like yourself, assisted by a professional staff whose purpose is to provide positive growth experiences for families.

We reinforce positive behaviors in our youth through our programs and services.

Volunteers are our most important resource.  You can make a difference in your community and brighten a youngster's future with your time and effort.

Programs and Services

Family Education

We provide information for parents and other support for youth through workshops, classes and seminars.

Youth Recognition

We recognize youth who have made special contributions to our community.

Summer Recreation

We offer summer activities for young people and sponsor local athletic teams.

Educational and Recreation Scholarships

We provide camp opportunities for youth.  Educational scholarships for summer school are also offered.

Mentor Plus

We match adult volunteers to young people who can benefit from a positive relationship with a caring adult role model.  Read more about this below.

Professional Counseling

A professional counselor is offered as an alternative to court for young people referred by parents, school or the police.  This service is family centered and voluntary.

Mentors Plus

A little time each week.  A little caring.  A little piece of yourself, reserved just for a special kid who needs it.  And Mentors Plus, to put the two of you together and help you learn from each other.  The mentoring program, sponsored by Oakland County Youth Assistance (a part of Oakland County courts), has been matching caring adults with young people who need them since 1973.  Thousands of "matches" have been made, many of which have grown into lasting friendships.  You can choose the sort of involvement that seems right for you:  prevention, working with an at-risk youngster, or intervention, helping to guide a young person with minor court involvement back onto the right track.

Mentors Plus... Plus What?

Plus FUN.  Being a mentor is an important contribution, and it's a serious responsibility.  But it's also a lot of fun.  Your time together can include anything from sharing a movie to taking a walk to hitting a baseball.  The important thing is the time, and the good feelings it brings to you both.

Plus SHARING.  Sure, you'll be strangers at first.  But before long, you'll be surprised at what you can share.  Thoughts, and ideas, and likes and dislikes.  And, most importantly, you'll be sharing a bit of yourself with someone who can benefit from your responsible example.

Plus FRIENDS.  You'll not only gain one very special young friend, you'll also have opportunities to meet other volunteers and their matches, as well as members of your own local Mentors Plus volunteer advisory committee.  They share your concern for kids, and they'll welcome you warmly into their ongoing efforts to help make childhood and the teen years secure and positive.

Plus RESULTS.  You know that mentoring sounds like a great idea.  But did you know that it actually works?  Reliable statistics from a long-term mentoring program say that, after only 18 months, youngsters who met with their mentors an average of three times per month were 46 percent less likely than a control group to start using drugs, 27 percent less likely to start drinking, 53 percent less likely to skip school, and 37 percent less likely to skip a class.  They also were more confident in their schoolwork, less likely to hit someone, and doing better within their families.

Just think... Only a few hours each month can have an impact that dramatic.  Can you think of a better way to spend time?