Our Mission

Youth Service Bureau of LaPorte County opened in 1972 and continues to provide programs with goals of connecting youth to caring adults, child abuse prevention, delinquency prevention, and youth development and advocacy. School Buddies, Kids on the Block, Teen Court, and Safe Place are YSB’s current programs.

The Youth Service Bureau sponsors several programs such as School Buddies, which is one-on-one mentoring that takes place in the schools in La Porte County. It’s all about forming friendships and providing guidance to the youth in our community. Kids on the Block is a program that educates all of La Porte County second graders about the cycle of child abuse. This prevention puppet-show presentation is performed in elementary schools each year. Teen Court is a program that diverts first-time juvenile offenders from the traditional juvenile justice system. Teen Court youth volunteers serve as attorneys, bailiffs, and jurors to constructively sentence these offenders and hold them accountable to the community for their unlawful behavior. Safe Place is a national youth outreach and prevention program for youth in need of safety. Everyone deserves a place to feel safe. Safe Place connects youth in crisis with immediate help and caring adults — anytime, anywhere.