At Unity Youth Association, we’re dedicated to helping young people find their voice, build their future, and make a difference in the world.
Whether you're navigating challenges or seeking new opportunities, our programs are designed to inspire, empower, and guide youth and young adults toward a path of success.
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Focus Area #1
Youth Support
Many young people today struggle in school, extracurricular activities, and in life overall, due to the absence of one essential element: support.
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There is a diverse group of young men and women in the state of Florida eager to push themselves further, yet they often lack the genuine support they need to succeed.
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The UYA Learning and Tutoring Program is grounded in a strong foundation of comprehensive support, starting with 100% parent involvement.
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Students enrolled in the UYA program will receive ongoing assistance through a range of services throughout the year, ensuring they have the resources necessary to thrive.
Focus Area #2
Youth Education
Education is a crucial building block for a strong foundation and a higher quality of life. However, many of our youth have big dreams yet fail to recognize the importance of taking their education seriously, which is essential for living productive and successful lives.
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To address this, UYA has created a tutoring program that meets Monday through Thursday, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Our team includes certified SCPS teachers and support staff dedicated to helping students with their academic needs.​
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85% of our youth have shown improvement in academic performance.
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90% of our youth maintain perfect school attendance.
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80% of our youth have demonstrated better behavior at home and school.
Focus Area #3
Health
The health of our youth is crucial for ensuring they lead prosperous lives. With obesity rates on the rise, it's vital to motivate and encourage young people to stay active.
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Many of these young men and women have never had a dental visit or proper checkups. Recognizing the importance of maintaining good health, we will organize events and activities specifically designed to engage our youth and promote healthy living.
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UYA has partnered with local agencies, businesses and organizations such as Picnic Project, Seminole County Health Department and Shepard’s Hope to address the Health needs our youth are facing and dealing with.
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75% of our youth have made better eating habits.
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98% of our youth completed a healthy style living program that was offered over the summer.
Focus Area #4
Recreation, Sports & Activities
One of the main reasons many of our youth find themselves in and out of trouble is a lack of positive resources. By offering a range of carefully planned events, activities, contests, clubs, competitions, and more, we aim to keep our youth engaged both physically and mentally.
UYA has partnerships with the City of Sanford, Seminole County Sheriff Office and Seminole County Public Schools to keep our youth active and productive with extra activities.
Focus Area #5
Etiquette-Moral Education
When it comes to conduct and manners most of our youth lack the tools for proper etiquette. We will implement positive programs of etiquette that focus on proper dressing and language skills.
The program will enable youth to see that there are proper measures of being cool. The Etiquette program will also allow youth to see positive ways of carrying themselves in a more respectable manner.
Focus Area #6
UYA Mentoring & Tutoring Program
UYA provides on going tutoring for youth in our program Monday through Thursday. UYA Learning Program is designed to assist with developing a plan to address the academic struggles in our youth.
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UYA will create a highly effective reading program designed to address the reading challenges students face due to limited resources. Through our comprehensive approach, we will work to bring students' reading levels up to standard.
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We also offer ongoing mentoring for youth and teens. All participants are required to attend and complete the SNAP (Stop Now and Prepare) program, which is provided weekly by the County Sheriff's Office.
Additionally, we offer mental health services for our youth through our partnership with Educate the whole child, ensuring participants have access to the support they need.
Focus Area #7
UYA Community Service Program
We offer a variety of services and opportunities for participants and young adults to earn community service hours. Some of the community events we host or partner with include the Boys II Men Social, Daddy-Daughter Ball, Mother-Son Dance, Community Unity Day, Crime Prevention Events, and various City of Sanford-sponsored events.
UYA is committed to giving back to the community and instilling in all participants the importance of never forgetting their roots. Every participant will be engaged in at least two service projects. Embracing the motto "It Takes A Village," UYA integrates these values and principles into its programming.
Focus Area #8
UYA Second Chance Program
We have partnered with various organizations to offer Second Chance opportunities. One such initiative is our GED program, which runs throughout the week for community members aged 16 and older. This program is a strong collaboration with Seminole State College, providing participants with hope and the chance to improve their lives through educational services.
Additionally, we've built a solid relationship with CareerSource of Central Florida, enabling our participants to explore workforce opportunities, receive on-the-job training, develop soft skills, and improve their resume writing. CareerSource also offers programs in skilled trades.
In 2025, we will introduce even more exciting programs as we focus on removing barriers and providing solutions to the challenges our community faces.
UYA Youth Sports Camp
Focus Area #9
More information to come in 2025.