The Haven Project in Lynn helps struggling teens, young adults support themselves
LYNN - A non-profit in Lynn is helping struggling teens and young adults support themselves.
The Haven Project works with 17-to-24 year olds who are housing unstable. They support about 300 youth a year. Last year, there were 675 unaccompanied youth in Lynn.
"Lynn is a district of 17,000 ish students. To have that many is alarming and I think goes under the radar quite a bit," said Tracey Scherrer-Friedman, the project's executive director.
"Our role as service providers specifically because missionally we are all about the youth, is not telling you what to do. It's seeing what you want to do and being there to help you achieve those goals and I think that's something that by the point they come to us, a lot of other systems have failed them," director of client services Angelica Perez Baez told WBZ.
The Haven Project uses the Land of a Thousand Hills coffee shop on Munroe Street as a social enterprise. It's the start of putting individuals into the workforce.
"To see them, taking those small steps and then learning professionalism at the same time and being able to move on to something much bigger and to a steady career is quite amazing," said outreach and job training manager Ramey Ferrell.
But there is a bigger goal. Ultimately, this building can become a safe haven.
"The third and the fourth are completely empty right now. We are purchasing them and building catalyst housing which is a housing project that's going to be 23 units for housing unstable youth. The 24th is going to be for a resident manager. The idea is that they're not going to be asked to leave. We want them to make sure they are setting themselves up for a future," Scherrer-Friedman, told WBZ.
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