History and Vision
Begun in 1977 by a local doctor and other community members concerned about the lack of services available to at-risk youth, DIAL/SELF has consistently provided outreach, advocacy, and residential services to area teens for the past 30 years. When faced with an organizational crisis in 2001 that could have resulted in the dissolution of the agency, DIAL/SELF convened an all-day meeting of staff and Board members. This “visioning” process inspired and guided the organization over the next several months as it developed its first ever Strategic Plan (2002-2007).
Over the past 10 years DIAL/SELF not only stabilized itself, but reenergized the Board, staff, and community supporters, as evidenced by nearly a decade of growth, innovation, and greater service to the youth and communities of the Franklin/ Hampshire/ North Quabbin region. Since 2001 the agency budget has doubled to $1.4 million annually, the staff has increased from 15 to almost 30, and program accomplishments have included:
- Formation of the Youth Services Roundtable, a coalition of youth programs hosted by DIAL/SELF, which has embarked on numerous collaborative projects, including the Teen Legislative Forum and the NightOwl Teen Warming Center.
- Reorganization of the Outreach Program into TeenLine, which reaches out to youth in schools, on the streets, and at other non-profit sites, to provide information & referral, case management, advocacy, food, shelter and drop-in services to youth between the ages of 11-22.
- Enhancement and expansion of services offered by the Step Program (formerly know as the Transition to Independent Living Program).
- Restructuring of the Greenfield AmeriCorps Program as the multi-site partnership model YouthServe, which places AmeriCorps members in key community agencies and schools to promote Positive Youth Development.
- Creation of DIAL/SELF - North Quabbin , a satellite office that serves the at-risk youth in the Orange-Athol area.
- Launch and operation of the RISE Program, the ACT Volunteer Center, and TeenHousing.
Guiding Principles
In order to safely make the transition from childhood to adulthood, youth need effective social skills, clear and consistent boundaries, marketable skills, caring support, high expectations and opportunities for meaningful participation and contribution. Youth are more likely to make the journey to adulthood unscathed when there are caring adults actively serving as guides, providing safe havens, and fostering self-awareness, self-worth, self-discipline and self-motivation. While recognizing that it is impossible to guarantee teens a completely “safe passage” from childhood to adulthood, DIAL/SELF does seek to provide youth with the support and guidance that they need to become healthy, independent and productive citizens who are meaningfully engaged in their communities.
The Mission of DIAL/SELF is to provide a broad range of services that foster youth empowerment by meeting basic needs, by creating opportunities for youth, by advocating for youth interests, and by enhancing the quality of life within the communities we serve.
The Philosophy of DIAL/SELF embraces the principles inherent in the Positive Youth Development framework, and believes that all youth possess unique strengths, which are enhanced by community support and collaboration and that all youth should have the right to exercise choice in their own lives.
The Core Values of DIAL/SELF include:
Collaboration — We work collaboratively with youth, with each other, and with our community to make the most of our combined resources.
Respect — We demonstrate respect through active listening, responsiveness, and inclusion of diverse perspectives.
Innovation — We develop and implement creative programs in response to community needs.
Accountability — We hold ourselves accountable to high ethical, administrative, programmatic, and fiscal standards.
Vision
Youth will be healthy, well-educated, gainfully employed, adequately housed, meaningfully engaged and valued in their communities.
