mission statement
We exist to reach the often overlooked, written off, and unwanted youth of our community. We strive to earn a place in the hearts and lives of kids who feel unnoticed and unsupported by educators, mentors, or even family members. It is hard to be a kid in todays world; and even harder when raised by a single parent, or no parent. When you lack the correction and encouragement that comes from a healthy family unit, you often have no idea of whats missing; you just know somethings missing.
We provide a safe place for teens with too much time on their hands, and no real direction on how to spend it. We have programs, activities, and classes throughout the week that appeal to every personality and interest.
Art, music, drama, tech, weight room, and of course our skate park, all designed to engage the students in personal growth and development.
Each activity we have serves one purpose: to develop teens into better men and women. We have four main character qualities that we strive to inspire.
+ HARD WORK
As leaders, we are always working, cleaning, and serving around The Refuge. We believe in leading by example; and in every event the students are asked and encouraged to share in the workload. Our culture is failing to instill this quality and we are determined to make up the difference
+ COMPASSION
We are big on serving others and our community. Whether it’s feeding the homeless, or teaching younger kids, we place a high emphasis on thinking of others and learning to put them first.
+ COPING
Life doesn't always go the way we would like to, and it is most certainly not fair. We strive to help the students develop the necessary skills needed to face the world, in all of its disappointments, and keep moving forward.
+ FAITH
Faith is the quality that enables us to reach the things that our just beyond our reach. To dream and believe that if God is for you, who can be against you? To hope and trust, because you have purpose and potential.
OUR CORE INSTITUTES
Our Community Institute partners with local social programs/ministries to help fill their volunteer needs with willing students. We plan to fill a crucial role in our city’s social services, all the while instilling in the students the joy and personal pride that comes with making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Our Team Institute incorporates the power of a positive peer group through our BMBT program. This program uses competition and team work to teach the students how to work together to accomplish a common goal, as well as the value of friendship.
HOW BMBT WORKS
+ What it is
BMBT stands for Better Me a Better Tomorrow. Students are equally divided into teams, and earn or lose points based off of things that are beneficial or detrimental to their character. Every Refuge student is eligible to be on a BMBT team. Each team is captained by a fellow student and competes by acquiring points through participation in any of the BMBT activites. At the end of each season, the team that has accumulated the most points wins a no-cost 3 day trip.
+ The Points
We have set a point value to everything that we belive helps make the students better people. Such as: maintaining good grades, community outreach and service, keeping a job, playing a sport, serving at the Refuge, and attending church.
Students can also lose points by participating in things that are detrimental to their character. Such as: skipping school, getting in trouble at home, getting detention, etc.
+ the teams
Teams are where we develop both leadership and friendship. We task the Captains (student leaders) with leading each team in their pursuit of points. Creating activities, rallying attendance, communicating details and following through on commitments are just a few ways that our young leaders develop and grow.
Friendships are also forged in the heat of battle, and the desire to win the BMBT season is fierce.
+ The Intangibles
Positive peer influence is a powerful thing. We really enforce the truth that God rewards the diligent. We also use the BMBT program to deduct points for destructive behavior. This allows us to join forces with parents, guardians and teachers by penalizing students for destructive behavior outside of the Refuge. It also creates an environment where peers begin to reinforce positive behavior for the sake of the team.
Our Church Institute engages local churches with a larger number of youth and helps build a relationship between a very un-churched and disenfranchised generation with a loving and sincere local body of believers. By creating an environment that helps foster relationships between local youth ministers with students of similar interest and needs, we believe we can effectively help each student develop a long term relationship with a local church.
Our Skills Institute provides the tools and equipment necessary to allow students to pursue and perfect their skills no matter what their passion is. Skateboarding, basketball, weightlifting, creative arts, dance, automotive, radio, and many more. In each Skill, there are leaders who help the student develop the skill itself, and learn more about themselves in the process. Character, ethics, morality, honesty, perseverance, and hard work are taught and expected on a daily basis.