Community Based Services

Community Based Services is a non-traditional probation unit that provides intensive rehabilitation programming and case management services for at risk youth between the ages of 9-18 years old.  Community Based Services takes an “out of the box” approach to deal with these at risk youth and their families, while addressing their problems.  The majority of Community Based Services funding is provided by Building Bridges, Inc.

Team Prodigy – Medals in the Making

Prodigy is a state of the art gym located in Springboro, OH.  They have teamed up with Community Based Services/Building Bridges program to provide at risk court involved adolescents conditioning for boxing, wrestling, martial arts, mixed martial arts, and fitness/weight lifting.  The Medals in the Making program is designed to help guide these youth by teaching them about self-discipline, accountability, integrity, and self esteem through the above mentioned activities.

Pet Therapy Group

The purpose of this group is to build and strengthen a relationship between client and counselor, while also building the foundation for a good work ethic.  Once a week, a staff member and three youth volunteer at the animal shelter to interact with the pets, which includes bathing the dogs, clean kennels, doing laundry, and assisting with administrative duties and special events.

Grafton Oaks Nursing Home

Group assists elderly residents in the nursing home with various recreational activities, such as playing bingo and socializing. Many of the residents have limitations with their sight, hearing, or their motor skills, and the youth are able to assist them with daily physical activities, such as walking or being more mobile. The nursing home and residents show their appreciation by holding an annual volunteer recognition ceremony for the youth once a year.

Access Center

Group assists the Access Center in delivering medical supplies to needy families, as well as picking up donations from families to deliver to the Access Center.

Feed Dayton Urban Farming

The Group assists with clearing lots of debris, tilling soil, and planting nutritious fruits and vegetables to feed low income families.  The majority of the harvest goes to food distribution programs, and the other portion of the harvest goes to the youth and people in the community who help maintain the garden.

Normandy Church

Group assists Normandy Church in delivering furniture to needy families in Montgomery County, and also picks up donations from families to take to the Church.

Bike Group

Group goes to the Life Enrichment Center to build/repair bikes that were donated.

Sons of Thunder

Group meets at the Belmont Methodist Church.  This group is run by a faith based group of men to serve as an outlet for at risk youth.  These men act as mentors and share values, morals, and ideas for the youth.  The youth are fed dinner, and given academic courses on automotive, as well as hands on experience on fixing cars and working on a dragster.

St. Vincent de Paul Homeless Shelter

Group assists in washing, drying and folding laundry in the St. Vincent de Paul laundry room, as well as assist in loading linen carts for each of the two dorms. Others jobs may include helping in the kitchen, stocking food in the food pantry, cleaning carts, and sorting out the clothing in the storage room.

Recreation Centers Group

This group is intended for cleaning up the City of Dayton Recreation Centers, current locations included but not limited to Bomberger Teen Center (Fifth St.), Princeton Rec Center (Northwest) and the Lohrey Recreation Center (Glenarm Dr.). The youth help out by picking up trash around the buildings, wiping down all equipment, organizing storage rooms and sports equipment, vacuuming, sweeping and mopping floors.

Basketball Team

Provides the youth involved with the program an opportunity to participate in a structured intramural basketball league with other probation units and agencies.  Our team is comprised of both beginner and more advanced players with an emphasis on team play, sportsmanship, and camaraderie through participation in a team sport.

Softball Team

Provides the youth the opportunity to learn a new sport/recreation activity that they can carry into the future.  Most Community Based Services/Building Bridges youth have never participated in an organized baseball/softball program before playing with our program.  The youth learn the rules, fundamentals and how to play the game of slow-pitch softball. The team is co-ed, with an emphasis on teamwork, fundamentals, and enjoyment. The team participates in three one-day tournaments with other probation units and agencies.

Kickball Tourney

This program offers Community Based Services/Building Bridges youth the opportunity to compete in an atmosphere where sportsmanship and participation are encouraged.  The emphasis for the tournament is for the youth to participate in an activity that requires some physical exercise, and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Flag Football Tourney

Probation sponsored activity that provides the opportunity for our young men and women to participate in a one day flag football tournament.  This program exposes our youth to a physical activity through flag football to promote team work and skill building.  Youth learn fundamental football skills, rules and team concepts.  Sportsmanship, team building and physical activity are emphasized during practice and tournament play.

Biathlon

Usually occurs 4 to 5 times a year. The Community Based Services/Building Bridges Biathlon is a sporting event made up of two disciplines, biking and a short distance run.  The object of this event is to build a relationship, team work, self esteem, and trust with your youth.  For the biathlon, the adult partners with a youth, and one member of the team has to bike, and the other one has to do a short distance run.  The runner has to run one lap around a country block, which is about 3.4 miles.  The biker has to bike three laps around the same country block, which is about 10.2 miles.  If the adult or their assigned youth are not athletically inclined, the adult and youth could power walk the race.  After the race, plaques are awarded to the top three teams.  In addition, all participants are given a ribbon with their posted time on it.  Following the biathlon, everyone goes to a picnic and game activity.