Update from DOCY Manager
Hello Neighbors, and Happy Spring Time! I am happy to share some great updates from the Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth. We moved! In April, we relocated from a generous office space at Gene Slay’s Girls and Boys Club Dutchtown to 3100 Chippewa. We are also excited to share the growth of our DOCY team to include our Outreach Specialist, Kashawna, and our Youth Counselor, Lauren.
DOCY manager Caitlyn along with Cure Violence Dutchtown site manager El and outreach supervisor Carlos
Beginning June 2 DOCY will begin hosting our “DOCY in the Streets” outreach tables. Every other Friday, 3pm–5pm, DOCY will have a table at Chippewa and Minnesota with activities, snacks, and resources for the community. We are currently looking for partners to be at these events with DOCY to share programs and resources.
DOCY manager Caitlyn at the new Chippewa office working with a young client.
Did you know that DOCY also assists teens ages 14–17 with job placement? If you have a young person in your life looking for work experience, send them our way. We work with a variety of agencies that focus on getting teens placed in productive work environments. Please note that any youth interested in this opportunity must have physical copies of their social security card, birth certificate, and a photo ID (State or School ID).
For more information or questions, please email me at Dorionc@employmentstl.org.
Summer Programs and Camps for Youth
Do you have children who still need summer programming? Many of our partner agencies still have openings for the Summer right here in Dutchtown!
Gene Slay's Girls and Boys Club
Our summer camp will run from June 5 through July 28, 2023 (8 weeks) at both of our campuses in Soulard and Dutchtown. Summer hours are from 8am to 6pm. Early drop-off is available at 7am and is an additional $125 for the 8 weeks. There are sliding-scale fees and scholarships available! The highest fee a family could pay for the entire 8 weeks is $360 and is lower from there. The fee includes:
Breakfast, lunch, and a snack.
Swimming lessons twice a week.
Sports, arts & crafts, chess, group games, and other recreational activities.
Field trips.
Academic enrichment designed to combat the “summer slide”.
Special opportunities such as Golf Camp, Tennis Clinic, Garden Club, and the BWorks Earn-A-Bike program (available to a limited number of participants).
The 2023 Summer Program theme is RV Road Trip! Each participant will learn about our country’s National Parks, special attractions, and unique characteristics of each region. We’ll explore across the continental United States through virtual tours, projects, and activities. Members will have their passport book stamped as they take a virtual cross-country excursion. Learn more at www.gsgbcstl.org
Thomas Dunn Learning Center
During the summer, we offer a variety of different summer camps that may include cooking, coding, sculpture, music mixing, and more! Most of them last for a few hours every day for a week, and most of them are for teenagers between the ages of 10 and 19, but some camps are a little different. Whatever you’re interested in, we’re bound to have a camp you’d love! Register here.
Marquette Rec Center
Marquette Rec Center offers FREE summer camp to youth 6-13 years old, Monday–Friday from 8am to 4pm. Their Summer Camp offers swimming, activities, field trips, breakfast, lunch, and more. To register, please visit their website here.
Upcoming Events
Family Game Night Friday, May 26th, 6pm at Thomas Dunn Learning Center
DOCY in the Streets Every other Friday afternoon (6/2, 6/16, 6/30), 3pm–5pm at 3100 Chippewa
Video Game Tournament Thursday, June 8th, 4pm at The Place (upstairs at Marquette Rec Center) Click here to register (must be over 13)
Gravois Park Activity Day Sunday, June 11th, 11am at Gravois Park
What is the Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth?
DOCY serves youth between 10 and 17 years old in the Gravois Park, Dutchtown, and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods. We work to reduce the likelihood of youth being both victims and perpetrators of crime by connecting them to opportunities that pave a way toward graduation and/or employment.
The Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth aims to curb the effects of poverty and violence in these neighborhoods that have skyrocketed over the last decade. Through collaboration with over a dozen community agencies, we listen to the youth in the community and connect them with programs to meet their needs and goals.
Meet Our Partners
Want to stay up to date on DOCY updates and events? Follow Employment Connection on social media!
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
To contact the Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth, email Caitlyn Dorion at dorionc@employmentstl.org.