A program that gets troubled young people outdoors and working with search and rescue dogs is building the self-confidence of students at Youth Progress, a non-profit youth living center in Portland.
For the past three years Youth Progress has partnered with Yutes N’ Hounds, a Bloodhound search and rescue organization.
Youth Progress serves high risk young people, ages 15-24, with housing and five days a week programs, and usually hosts no more than 60 students.
Students come from a variety of backgrounds. Most have either been involved in the juvenile justice system or have no appropriate home resources, and are often labeled as “difficult to treat.”
Of all the programs offered, students seem to like field trips to Yutes N’ Hounds the best, said Bart Sylfae, director of operations.
“It really turned into a one-day adventure camp that we’ve been utilizing for three years,” he said. “Everyone seems to enjoy being outside with the Bloodhounds. They always come back in a better mood then when they left.”
[For more of this story, written by Shelby Sebens, go to https://www.thelundreport.org/...arch-and-rescue-dogs]
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