Youth Programs

Dumas Wesley's Youth At-Risk Program has been in existence for over 35 years. The program serves youth in the Crichton community, ages 6-18.

The Youth At-Risk Program seeks to help community youth to have a safe environment in which to participate in age-appropriate activities. Our foremost goals are:

• To provide a safe, non-threatening environment for community youth;
• To expose the community youth to cultural events;
• To foster talents in the arts and sports;
• To make the youth aware of societal dangers that can endanger them and which can prevent them from having a bright and successful future

Activities:

After School Tutoring – Community children are assisted with homework and enriched with a variety of activities to develop their cognitive abilities.

Sports - Dumas Wesley offers a sports program for boys and girls. This year we had teams in Co-ed and Girls' Volleyball, Softball, Soccer, Girls' Basketball and Boys' Basketball.

Etiquette Class - During the summer, ages seven through eight learn to be young ladies and gentlemen through learning and practicing everyday manners as well as formal etiquette.

Super Saturdays - This program offers children from the Crichton community and the Sybil Smith Family Village the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that they would not normally experience. Field trips are taken to area museums, the Exploreum, plays, musicals and arts venues. Number participating varies from 15 to 45 children, depending upon the type of activity, availability of tickets, etc.

Career Mentoring – Children and teens have the opportunity to visit local businesses and hear speakers on various careers. This year we attended a seminar at Mobile Works. We are currently creating a youth at work program that will help employ pre-teens and teens in jobs such as landscaping.

Daily Recreation - This program gives our community youth a safe place to go after school. We offer two game rooms, outside play and basketball in the gym.

Summer Recreation and Camp - We have a summer recreation program that offers sports, arts and crafts, and a variety of field trips. The children will also receive a lunch from the free lunch program. The children will experience a week in nature on a camping excursion to the United Methodist Church’s Camp Blue Lake in Andalusia. We had 132 participants in this program last summer.