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About Geneva Foundation

Location:

3800 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60651, US

Mission Statement

The mission of Geneva Foundation is to stabilize, support and educate adolescent males by providing a safe, healing environment in which to build the hope, confidence and life skills to become independent, purposeful young men.

Description

Geneva Foundation is a transitional living program for boys ages 16 - 19 in the state child welfare system. Our innovative therapeutic group home enhances Self Leadership, teaches Life Skills, and develops the support networks necessary for each of our kids to move from state care systems to independence. Our Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy model and Self Leadership coaching serves as an interactive, safe, "hands-on" training environment that allows youth to practice newly acquired skills in the same manner a professional might complete an internship or practicum.

The majority of youth Geneva serves are from neighborhoods plagued by poverty, violence, limited resources and little education. Most were removed from their birth homes before the age of 5 and have stories of severe physical and/or sexual abuse, neglect and trauma. By the time a youth is placed with Geneva, he has lived in an average of 12 foster homes and has spent much of his formative teenage years in institutional care where he is given minimal responsibilities and all household duties are handled by staff. As a result, boys in these settings frequently fail to develop the skills necessary to successfully navigate through life.

To shift this reality, Geneva teaches the boys to manage (with the assistance) all of their own grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, cooking, education, health and dental care, etc. The training curriculum addresses a range of topics, including interviewing skills, time management, career counseling, child development, home maintenance and personal growth, etc.