Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.

Big Brothers Big Sisters serves children between the ages of 6 and 18, primarily from single-parent, low-income families.

Websites:

• Main website - https://www.bbbsns.org/
• Contact info - https://www.bbbsns.org/about-us/contact-us/

Camp Woolman is a small community in the Sierra foothills where kids and teens come to hike, swim, make friends, play sports, do art, and much more. The small camp size (24 campers and 7 staff members) ensures that every child is given the attention and encouragement they need to just be themselves and have a great time. Through simple living and joyous adventure in an accepting community, Camp Woolman inspires individuals to value nature, value themselves, and value others in order to build a more peaceful and just world.

This summer camp serves kids and teens ages 9 to 17. One and two-week sessions are available in June and July.

Wombat Campers (ages 9-14) spend half the week living in rustic cabins, and the other half backpacking in nearby areas such as Tahoe National Forest, Desolation Wilderness, and along the Yuba River.
Our Teen Leadership Camp offers 13-17 year olds the chance to take on new wilderness challenges, exercise leadership on multiple levels, and practice skills v… [read more]

The Cinderella Project helps several hundred students get free dresses, gowns, tuxedos and other attire for proms and other special events in Nevada County. The Cinderella Project ensures that cost is not an issue for students to attend their proms.

Web pages

• Home - https://bffyouth.org/

Youth Hub Summer Day Camp
This camp started in the summer of 2021 to provide much-needed child care for working parents during the summer and after the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. The day camp is for children in grades TK-8, operates five days a week from 8am-6pm for five weeks. The camp provides a safe space for kids during the summer with a full schedule of enrichment and educational activities daily. The camp also provides first-time jobs for youth 16 ages and over from the community, including youth involved in BFFY programs. In 2023, 30 youth were employed and 250 kids attended this camp.

Web pages

• Home - https://bffyouth.org/

The Friendship Club provides a year-round program in Western Nevada County serving girls at risk in grades 6-12. Girls meet after school during the school year, attend field trips and other activities during school breaks, and participate in summer camps and enrichment activities throughout the summer.

The Friendship Club has helped almost 1,000 girls since starting in 1995. The comprehensive, long-term program is open to youth who are female, identifying as female and gender non-conforming between the ages of 10 and 18 and provides assistance into their 20s as they transition to adulthood. The Friendship Club serves more than 100 youth every year, providing year-round academic, social and emotional support in individual and group settings – and ensuring basic needs, such as access to health care and healthy meals, are available.

Girls are grouped into cohorts by grade level and stay with their group until they graduate high school. Participation is free, as are all the activities, fiel… [read more]

NEO offers a fun, safe and supervised place for youth and young adults, ages 11-25, to spend their time after school, build friendships, learn new skills and discover their passions.  Several hundred youth participate in NEO every year. NEO provides leadership opportunities, summer programs, music events and in-school activities. Some events will have age limits, check website for details.

Web pages

• Home - https://bffyouth.org/
• NEO - https://bffyouth.org/neo/

The SAFE (Stability, Access, Foundation, Empowerment) program is committed to finding, and helping youth ages 12 -26 who are experiencing homelessness.

Many youth experiencing homelessness do not have access to local or state funding, or simply don’t know what services are available. And few nonprofit organizations in the region are able to help. SAFE fills the gap by connecting youth who have alternative, unpredictable, or inconsistent housing access with community resources and well-trained professionals.

SAFE helps mitigate homelessness in Nevada County by providing:

• Basic needs, such as food, clothing, housing
• Education and training, including transitioning to college and/or trade school
• Physical health and mental wellness counseling
• Training to develop the necessary skills to live independently

We provide a safe, structured and positive environment for young people after school, during holidays and summer vacation.

Afterschool programs serving students from age 6 to 18, providing youth with a safe environment; adults who respect and listen to them; and interesting, constructive activities. Five core program areas are (1) Character and Leadership Development; (2) Education and Career Development; (3) Health and Life Skills; (4) The Arts; and (5) Sports, Fitness and Recreation providing youth with the tools and skills they need to become healthy adults, responsible citizens and effective leaders. The B&G Club has three afterschool sites during the school year. They offer homework help, tutoring, sports, recreation, career & leadership development, health & life skills, arts and crafts. They are located in Downtown Auburn, E.V. Cain Middle School, and the Rock Creek Elementary School. Membership at the Club costs $10.00 and program fees are $10.00 a month. Hours of o… [read more]

This is a fun state licensed before and after school program for elementary school-aged children available at Alta Vista, Auburn Elementary, Bowman and Skyridge schools. Staff fulfill licensing requirements including: 18 years or older, CPR/First Aid certified and DOJ clearances. The program includes homework assistance, arts and crafts, nature study, sports, games, community service opportunities and time to play and relax with friends. Snacks are served daily. Days of operation are Monday through Friday, five days per week, when school is in session.

4-H is an educational program of the University of California Cooperative Extension and is made available through a partnership of county, state, and federal governments.

The program creates positive opportunitiesfor youth to develop life skills and become engaged in their local communities. The program combines the efforts of youth, volunteer leaders, and University staff and faculty to create a fun, hands-on learning approach to a non-formal education. An emphasis is placed on learning citizenship, leadership, and life skills.