Rebound, Alternatives for Youth

Rebound, Alternatives for Youth is a new community based non-profit organization that provides services to Durham County youth while they are out of school on short-term suspension. Rebound focuses on strengths and sources of resilience of youth so that they may develop the skills, supports, and strategies they need to reconnect with their schools, communities, and families and achieve their goals. The Rebound program provides a supportive environment for youth to achieve the following goals: -Stay up-to-date with schoolwork during short-term suspension -Identify root causes of suspension, including student behavior and systemic issues -Address root causes of suspension in order to prevent juvenile crime (and other risky behaviors) during out of school time and prevent future suspensions -Develop sources of resilience in youth by gaining self-knowledge and improving self-esteem, plus identifying personal strengths and goals; increasing skills in leadership, conflict management and effective communication skills -Promote social connectedness by reconnecting youth with families, school staff, and the larger community Rebound is a unique program that offers a mix of services that include mental health and counseling; socio-emotional skill development; tutoring and academic advocacy; case management; food and exercise; and high quality supervision. Currently, Rebound is the only organization in Durham serving any high school students who are out of school on short-term suspension (the public schools have a program for middle and high school youth with a diagnosed disability). The organization works in collaboration with the public schools and other service providers and offers a neutral, non-institutionalized option for parents and youth in Durham. Rebound started at Reality Ministries and launched as an independent non-profit in 2013. The program is modeled after Boomerang, a successful program in neighboring Chapel Hill, NC.