The Misunderstood Youth Development Center, Corporation (MYDC) is a youth prevention and intervention 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2005 by Terryl De Mendonca.
They say, "it takes a village to raise a child." The Misunderstood Youth Development Center strives to be the village that our community so desperately seeks.
MYDC’s mission is to create various individual, peer and family oriented programs that will allow self-expression while Helping to Understand, Develop and Stimulate the Minds of our Youth.
MYDC organizationally has two (2) divisions, Empowering Youth Program (EYP) and Fresh Start.
EYP provides an outlet for personal and social development as a prevention mechanism to deter unproductive decision making processes, unlawful acts and increased incarceration among many others. MYDC’s purpose is to increase self awareness/self-esteem, high school graduation rates, leadership qualities, community involvement, etc. Our purpose is achieved through four components of mentorship, community outreach, social development and life skills.
The Fresh Start Program is an alternative to incarceration (ATI) and a new beginnings intervention program designed to provide increased self-awareness, accountability, leadership and community involvement individually and in a team setting. Fresh Start provides an outlet for personal and social development through four core components ofSocial Development, Life Skills, Assessments/Individual Counseling, and Community Outreach as they transition back into mainstream society.
EYP and Fresh Start allows its participants to engage in peer discussions about every day trials and tribulations such as:
Parent-child conflict Peer pressure Self-esteem Depression Anger management Alcohol & substance abuse Domestic violence Gangs and gang violence Teen pregnancy Sex and sex abuse Community involvement Education Independence Leadership
Through these and many other programs, the children have learned to express themselves freely, and respectfully without judgment from others. Members will be exposed to various role play workshops and team activities allowing them to "walk a mile in someone else's shoes". This increases their awareness in what their peers are going through and learn how to handle various social challenges in positive and productive ways.
*******Founder/Executive Director, Terryl Ebony De Mendonca******* MYDC emphasizes on programming that is geared to individual, group and family interaction. We are not just an afterschool program where students come for homework assistance. MYDC’s programs are much more personal. We get involved and become apart of the lives of our youth.
The program is a commitment from MYDC – to the children – and their parents. Everyone gets involved. Contracts are drawn and signed by all three parties. To continue to be apart of MYDC’s elite programs each child must prove their commitment by becoming a team player and participating in our various activities, maintain and/or strive for a minimum average at the B or 3 level, maintain behavioral standards that are conducive to leadership and positive outcome at home, school, and throughout the community.
