Santos Houston, a junior at Gateway High School, dreams of being a singer, or perhaps a fashion designer. By participating in TOP, a teen outreach program run by the Greater St. Louis Federation of Settlement Houses and Neighborhood Centers, he could get there. Helping disadvantaged St. Louis teens achieve their goals and grow into productive, successful adults takes long-term commitment and determination, which is exactly what this group of seven settlement houses in the St. Louis region brings to the table by working together.
Formed in 2008, the federation—which includes Kingdom House, Grace Hill Settlement House, Neighborhood Houses, Youth and Family Center, Wesley House, Guardian Angel Settlement Association and the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House—works to cultivate strong and productive individuals, families and neighborhoods. It is funded through United Way and a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.
“All of the agencies have been operating for more than 100 years, but we haven’t always worked together,” says Jessica Brandon, president of the federation and executive director of Guardian Angel Settlement Association. “The whole idea of the federation is that if we pool our resources, we can achieve a lot more together than we can as individual organizations. And collaboration is so important now, because there’s never enough resources for us to meet the needs of the community.”
From its inception, the federation, with help from Wyman Center and United Way, has run 10 TOP clubs across the city. The TOP program is nationally recognized for its effectiveness in youth development and has been shown to impact participants’ academic success as well as prevent teen pregnancy and other risky behaviors. “It’s designed to help them grow into successful adults,” Brandon notes.
Civic engagement is a cornerstone of the TOP program and is cultivated through community service learning programs and an annual day of action and advocacy. “All the teens from our TOP clubs come together, and the day is about helping others in the community,” Brandon says. “It teaches participants about giving back, and also helps build character.” In the past, teens in the program have thrown holiday parties for young children, planned and painted a mural in a local daycare, collected canned goods and toiletries, and built a playground for middle school students.
The TOP clubs serve around 125 teens each year, and they wouldn’t exist without the federation’s collaborative efforts. “None of the agencies were doing this program before, because they couldn’t afford to hire someone to run it,” Brandon says. “When the federation’s partners came together, that became possible, and it ensures the curriculum is being implemented correctly and that we’re getting the desired outcomes.”
Another benefit of collaboration: a citywide approach to the work each agency might traditionally do on its own. “Teens across the entire city, and not just one area served by any one agency, are getting served by our TOP program,” Brandon says. “We’re making sure that regardless of which neighborhood you live in, you have access to the program.”
[By working together, the member organizations of Greater St. Louis Federation of Settlement Houses and Neighborhood Centers achieve a greater impact. Funded through a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health and United Way, the federation includes: Kingdom House, Grace Hill Settlement House, Neighborhood Houses, Youth and Family Center, Wesley House, Guardian Angel Settlement Association and the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House. For more information, visit stlsettlementhouses.org or call 314.960.9254.]
Pictured: Teen outreach program participants
Photo: Tim Parker Photography
