The Wickham Avenue Alliance demonstrates community partnerships working to address the service/program needs of the community. The Wickham Avenue Alliance consist of the C. Waldo Scott Center for H.O.P.E., Doris Miller Community Center, Pearl Bailey Library, Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, and YWCA Virginia Peninsula. Each organization maintains its’ own identity and purpose but shares its’ expertise and resources to provide and increased number of quality opportunities for community youth. The efforts of the Wickham Avenue Alliance support the City of Newport News’ “Keeping Our Kids Safe” Initiative, which addresses violence prevention among community youth. Pledging their commitment to work together, agencies composing the Wickham Avenue Alliance have focused on two (2) area of service delivery: 1. Youth Leadership Program, and 2. Community activities/outings.
The Youth Leadership Program (YLP) provides a service learning opportunity for youth, ages 13-17, who reside in the Southeast community of Newport News, Virginia. Community youth have to complete an application and interview process. Selected youth have the opportunity to assist staff with facilitation of summer programs and services at one of the five Wickham Avenue Alliance site. The youth are requested to provide a minimum of 12 hours of volunteer service learning per week for eight weeks. As a result of their service hours, they will receive a weekly stipend. The Youth Leaders are given an opportunity to gain experience, develop leadership skills, and explore careers involving cultural arts, education, information services, recreation, and youth development. The program also enhances participants’ developmental assets to include values, social competence, support, positive identity, empowerment, boundaries & expectations, and constructive use of time.
The Wickham Avenue Alliance also provides community youth with fun , leisure outings, educational presentations, and weekly movie showings.
The Wickham Avenue Alliance provides in-kind resources to facilitate the Youth Leadership Program and the community presentations, movies, and outings. Funding partners have included Bayport Credit Union, Friends of the Newport News Public Library, and United Way.