Change is good, and sometimes necessary
Coal Valley, IL: Arrowhead Youth and Family Services (AYFS a.k.a. Arrowhead Ranch) is pleased to announce exciting changes that will benefit youth at risk and the community. Renovations and long overdue updates will be made at the Coal Valley campus starting in July 2017. Since 1945, AYFS has been working with youth from Illinois that are experiencing problems at home, in the community or at school. The agency will continue to serve the local counties and the state of Illinois as it has done for several decades. Arrowhead will also market to youth and their families nationwide. Expanding the market reach by opening its doors to youth and their families around the country will qualify Arrowhead for national foundation and corporate support and offer a boost to local economy. These changes will allow Arrowhead the opportunity to help troubled youth find their way back into the mainstream of society for many more years.
The program at Arrowhead encourages youth to realize that the way they are doing things is not always working. Businesses need to do the same. Plans need to be modified to stay current and competitive within their industry. It is time to look at AYFS’s business plan and make necessary changes. The current residential facility was built in 1970, and needs attention to deferred maintenance as well as several other updates. While the focus is on the future of Arrowhead, concentration will remain on the core program of working with traditional or moderate level clients. Intensive clients will no longer be a part of the programming at Arrowhead.
By expanding the market reach to a national level, AYFS will be able to serve a larger demographic of youth at risk. “The Quad City Airport and hotels are close to our campus, allowing families to easily visit their children and also take advantage of what the community has to offer while they are here” said Mary Davidson, Development and Marketing Director at AYFS. “Our facility has been around for 47 years, it requires repair as we move forward. Once the renovations are complete, the facility will match the high quality services we provide” Davidson added. Arrowhead will continue to be in operation through the renovations with a target date of completion set for the fall of 2018.
Arrowhead Academy is the on campus school component of AYFS. According to Dr. Chester Lien, CEO of AYFS and Principal of Arrowhead Academy, this transition period presents a logical opportunity to upgrade the academic offerings. “Arrowhead is blessed to have excellent facilities for vocational classes such as woodworking, horticulture, and automobile mechanics” noted Dr. Lien. The combination of high quality, rigorous classes with vocational offerings will make Arrowhead unique in the private residential world.
“Change can be frightening, but the leadership team and board of directors have invested a lot of time, research and planning into the future of Arrowhead. Our new vision will be exciting and beneficial to youth at risk in our community and have a positive effect on our local economy” said Scott VanDeWoestyne, President of the Board of Directors at Arrowhead. “We are confident that we will be here for many more years motivating youth at risk to become responsible young men and women by providing quality counseling, education and social services to youth and their families” VanDeWoestyne continued. For more information regarding this exciting time at Arrowhead and how you can get involved, please call Mary Davidson at 309.799.7044 x270 or email mdavidson@arrowheadyouth.org
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