Helping Jersey City Teens
The Urban League of Hudson County (ULOHC) is a non-profit community organization with a dedicated staff of professionals that provides Jersey City residents with a range of support services: education and training, mentorship, economic development, job placement, childcare, family counseling and programs for seniors. Since 1972, the Urban League of Hudson County has been active in the community and earned recognition as an effective and tireless agent of change in Jersey City.
Founded in 1910, the ULOHC is one of 95 affiliates of the National Urban League (NUL). The NUL is the premier social service and civil rights organization in the United States, serving 300 communities in 35 states and the District of Columbia. The NUL provides services that influence and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide. Within Jersey City, the Urban League of Hudson County has a multicultural, multilingual staff to address the needs of one of the most densely populated and ethnically diverse city in the country.
HealthierJC + Urban League of Hudson County
For the Urban League of Hudson County, building a Culture of Health in Jersey City means taking action to improve the lives and well-being of all city residents. In alignment with the ULOHC mission to ‘empower communities and change lives’, they provide services that holistically support Jersey City from a financial, physical, mental, and spiritual perspective.
ULOHC programming closely aligns with the HealthierJC mission to expand access to quality resources and address health disparities by increasing sexual health awareness in Jersey City teen boys. In awarding the mini-grant, HealthierJC acknowledged the ongoing contribution of Urban League of Hudson County in advancing a Culture of Health for Jersey City residents of all ages.
Empowering Young Men in Jersey City
With the HealthierJC mini-grant, combined with NJ State funding from DCP&P (Division of Child Protection and Permanency), ULOHC was able to move forward with the Empowering Young Men program in Jersey City. The program, held at 253 MLK Dr in Jersey City, was conducted over a 6 week period and attended by 8 young men, from 12-15 years of age.
During a series of 12 sessions, participants learned about the importance of respecting women, and practical knowledge about how to avoid entanglement with the sex trade that is prevalent in tristate area. To get a real life perspective, the program invited both sex traffic trade victims and perpetrators to speak and share their experiences.
In the spirit of ‘carrying it forward’, one of the Empowering Young Men program participants joined a local group to help educate other young men and women in Jersey City about detecting and not falling prey to the sex traffic trade.
Moving forward…
Moving forward, the Urban League of Hudson County (ULOHC) intends to continue their core programs that focus on healthcare enrollment, employment and training, affordable housing, senior services, and youth development.
ULOHC will also offer Jersey City residents family support services, mentoring, and a broad range of life skills programs for young people that address money management, leveraging community resources, communication, decision-making, housing, and education.
For more information about Urban League of Hudson County, please visit the organization’s website at http://www.ulohc.org/