CASA Youth Development Program

CASA (Camden Adolescents Striving for Achievement) is a Positive Youth Development program in Camden, New Jersey. CASA works with high school students in one of the poorest, most dangerous cities in America.

Three years ago we saw a need for a safe and supportive place for teens in Camden to go after school. CASA has been that place. Each week we welcome almost 50 high school age teens from more than 7 area high schools for life skills and mentoring, academic support, counseling, and social services. We have nearly tripled in size since our first year. We are incredibly happy about this but we have outgrown our current space and have a vision for the future. We would like to turn drug ridden abandoned lots in north Camden into a youth development center for Camden teens. CASA is vital in this community. We work with students to achieve their dreams. Each day they choose to walk past the negative influences and strive for great things. Although they have many things working against them, we have a 100% high school graduation rate. In any city this might be seen as a good thing but in Camden the US Census reports that only 64% of the population has their high school diploma. Better yet, for the past three years we have had a 100% college acceptance rate. We work hard to provide a safe and supportive environment for our teens to learn and grow. Our program works and is staffed by professionals. Our staff includes two LCSWs, an MSW, M.Ed, a BSW, and a volunteer staff with years of experience in various fields. Tutors include local medical students, college and university students, graduate students in education, and retired community members. We offer academic enrichment and tutoring 4 days a week after school, assistance with college applications, mentoring, a weekly life skills meeting for all youth, social trips, one-on-one counseling for at risk youth, and much more. CASA is a program of Guadalupe Family Services, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Camden.