About Us:

Mission and Programs
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Mission and programs

It is the primary resource in Hampton Roads for and about teenagers ages 9-18. It is done through a continuum of services ranging from preventive “Life Strategies”coaching to temporary shelters to outreach to kids living on the street. Eventually Seton Youth Shelters will be instrumental in breaking the cycle of dysfunctional families.

The Life Strategies Program is offered to teenagers currently in school whom the teachers have identified as at-risk or failing. Seton Youth Shelters' counselors equip them to navigate life’s challenges through programs of conflict management, goal setting, self-image improvement, communications skills, and problem-solving skills. Teens are developed through mind, body, and spirit. Currently, these programs are offered in Princess Anne High School and First Colonial High School. They are offered at no cost. Expansion to other schools in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Norfolk will happen with additional funding.

When the crisis point is reached and they cannot stay at home, teenagers come to either of the shelters in Virginia Beach. There are separate shelters for girls and boys. On any given night you will find 8-10 teenagers in each shelter. Residents find the shelter through a variety of sources including word-of-mouth, school counselors, Department of Social Services, and others. They stay in the shelter for approximately 20 days while receiving counseling along with their parents. When the time is right, and if it is safe, the teenager returns home. Sometimes it is not safe because of abuse within the home. If this is the case, another family member is found. The shelter and counseling are offered at no cost.

Counseling continues for both teens and parents after they leave the shelter. Sometimes it takes time to learn to stop yelling and start listening.

Unfortunately, many teenagers are already living on the street, sleeping under bridges, sleeping in abandoned houses, going hungry, and being at-risk. For them, Seton Youth Shelters offers guidance and promise. Through the Van Outreach Program in Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and Norfolk counselors deliver on-the-street guidance and encouragement. The goal is to help them get off the street and back into a safe environment. At the Crow’s Nest Program at the Oceanfront, young people find a safe place to gather for a few hours each week. They also find the only youth Alcoholics Anonymous program in Virginia. These programs will be expanded with additional funding.

Seton Youth Shelters is they only program in Hampton Roads providing safe haven and counseling specifically for teenagers and it is all done as a free service.