Highlights from Past YAR Conferences

11th Annual Youth At Risk Conference

10th Annual Youth At Risk Conference

9th Annual Youth at Risk Conference

Partners: Endicott College, The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation and Social Solutions

Some of the presenters at the conference graciously offered to post their handouts/presentations on the YAR website!

Access to Substance Abuse Treatment for Youth with Mental Retardation
Presenter: Elspeth Slayter, Assistant Professor, Salem State College, School of Social Work
Powerpoint Presentation

Going for the Green: Strategies for Fundraising Success
Presenter: Sarah Lange, Principal and Founder, Legacy Consulting, Inc.
Powerpoint Presentation

Necessary Confrontations: Having "Difficult Conversations" with Clients
Presenter: Mary Byrne, PhD, LICSW, Program Coordinator/ Field Education Conference, School of Social Work, Salem State College
Powerpoint Presentation

Understanding the Temptation of Alcohol and Drugs to Inform Prevention Practice
Presenter: Mary Wheeler, Street Outreach Coordinator, and Amy Delany-Monks, Outreach Educator, CAB Health and Recovery Services, Inc.
Powerpoint Presentation

Understanding the Local Youth Homelessness Picture: Service Gaps and Overlaps
Presenter: Russell Mayer, PhD, Director, Center for Public Opinion Research, Merrimack College and Merrimack College Student Research Team
Powerpoint Presentation

8th Annual Youth at Risk Conference

Partners: Endicott College and The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation

Here is a glimpse of the day:

• 425 professionals, parents and youth from Essex County and beyond more than 100 non-profit organizations serving youth represented
  
  
• 28 Essex County communities represented
  
  
• 30 nonprofits exhibited, sharing best practices and distributing helpful materials and resources
  
  
• 30 workshops on therapies, substance abuse, gay and lesbian issues, sexuality education, special education and much more
  
  
• 7-member student panel keynote from Northshore Recovery High School (more than half the student body were in attendance to support their classmates)
  
  
• 11 youth from Express Yourself performing

7th Annual Youth at Risk Conference

Partners: Endicott College and Comcast

"The YAR Conference Committee did an outstanding job in planning and implementing this one of a kind conference in Essex County for people and organizations that serve and care for youth. We received glowing remarks on several elements of the day including the new track format, the quality of the presenters and programming, the inspirational keynote by Charlie Appelstein, the performance by Express Yourself, and the self-serve ice cream cones that rounded out the event"
-Kirsten Doherty, YAR Director

Here's a sample of some of the feedback from attendees:

"Quality workshops, opportunities for networking, uplifting day!"

"I was amazed at the amount of resources available in Essex County!"

"I love the reorganization into tracks, excellent job of posting signs for location of workshops, moving conference along given the large number of attendees."

"Networking, learning, information, accommodations, refreshments, very pleasant day"

"I enjoyed the shared experience and the recognition of the tremendous challenges we all face."