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Treehouse Youth Outreach: Ending hopelessness among teens
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BY MIKAYLIE SOSNOWSKI
reeHouse Youth Outreach is a Minnesotan program that aims to show teens that they are capable of being loved with “no strings attached.” By giving teens structure in their daily life, a safe space to speak openly and access to helpful, dependable counselors, the founder hopes to help teens find their place in the world and learn to use their resources to help them succeed in life. The original TreeHouse was founded in 1979 in Robbinsdale, Minn., by a middle school teacher who saw his students struggling. Since then, over 30 new locations have sprung up around the metro area, including in Eden Prairie in January of 2019. TreeHouse offers three programs: weekly small group meetings led by staff, support groups for specific challenges and one-onone mentoring. For sophomore Zania Gray, the support groups have really helped her open up. “Before going to TreeHouse, I didn’t really used to talk and be out there,” she said. “I guess I just learned that people are there for you and you can talk to anybody. Counselors, mom, dad, anyone.” TreeHouse Youth Outreach has had an incredibly positive impact on Minnesotan teens. According to Andy Swanda, the director of outreach at the Eagan location, “98 percent of teens who have entered TreeHouse with problems such as thoughts of suicide, a history of self-harm and substance abuse have experienced a decrease in at-risk behavior after connecting with a program mentor.” The Eden Prairie group meets weekly on Tuesdays from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Wooddale Church, with transportation and dinner provided. Although it is a Christian-based program, TreeHouse accepts everyone regardless of religious affiliation or identity. “I know some people need support out there,” said Zania. “So I think that it will be fun because they provide food and then they do support group and free activities, so that’s cool.”
GRAPHIC BY MIKAYLIE SOSNOWSKI
If you’d like more information about TreeHouse, visit their website at: https://treehousehope.org/ or contact the EP location at (952) 500-9723. FEBRUARY 2020 | theeyrie.org
