U.P.L.I.F.T.

U.P.L.I.F.T. (United Partnership for Leadership, Inspiration, Focus, and Transformation)

United Way of Steele County is empowering young minds to engage in attendance through a partnership with the Office of Justice Programs through a Youth Intervention Program grant, to bring to Steele County, a Truancy Intervention Program Pilot.  We have hired a Youth Support Coordinator who will be working with youth and their families to identify the barriers that are preventing youth from attending school regularly.

Our goals with this pilot program are to identify and remove barriers, create a support system for youth and their families, and to help our youth be successful in their academic career, leading up to graduation and beyond.  Through this pilot, we will be working primarily with 9^th graders in the Blooming Prairie, Medford, and Owatonna School Districts; however, 8^th, 10^th, and 11^th graders may be invited on a case-by-case basis. 

This is a volunteer program, meant to support our youth in their journey.  We will receive referrals from the school districts and will not be taking any direct requests during the pilot.  If this is a program you are interested in, please reach out to your school administration to see if this is the right program for your youth.

The pilot will run through December 31, 2025, and if successful, our Truancy Intervention Action Team will identify how we can implement the Youth Support Coordinator program, officially, into the system.

Questions regarding the program? Email our Operations Coordinator, Neil Lyons, at neil.lyons@unitedwaysteelecounty.org or call our office at 507-455-1180.

Thank You:

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*** U.P.L.I.F.T. Grant & Grant Match Contributor
We are still seeking contributions to support the remainder of this 100% matching grant.