Ortonville- Gail Innis may be new to the area, but she is no stranger to youth counseling.
Innis has been helping families with youth intervention issues for more than 14 years and is happy to bring her skills to the Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance program.
After college graduation Innis found that while she loved her new teaching job, she still assisted parents and children in solving developmental issues outside the classroom.
“I was seeing the need for pure prevention and solving before something erupted,” said Innis.
Her talent for problem resolution swung her career into counseling young people.
“What I like about youth assistance is the unique blending of the family process with local volunteerism and members of the community,” she said.
Innis said the Oakland County sponsored program provides families the opportunity to participate in confidential, short term, free, prevention services before developmental issues become a larger problem. Services also include referrals to a more specialized treatment, if necessary.
Referrals to the BGYA programs, which are community based and developed by volunteers who live or work in the Brandon School District, may come from parents, schools, community agencies, community agencies, and the local police.
“What’s unique about the Oakland County Youth Assistance program is that it serves 26 local areas throughout the county each local program takes on the flavors of each community,” Innis said.
Innis is confident the success of the program is based on volunteerism and having a clear understanding of the individual community.
Because she lives in the neighboring community of Springfield Township she understands the unique needs and dedicated personality of Brandon Township and its volunteers.
Reflecting on the impact of the loss of long time volunteer Laone Trese, Innis said both she and the board of directors are ready to continue the development of youth assistance programs within the community.
“The board of directors is ready to get on with the business of life in recognition of Laone’s work,” said Innis “to move forward because that’s what she would have wanted to see happen.”
“She would want to see the enrichment activities to be a viable community, working together for our common goals.”
Believing in the old adage “it takes a village to raise a child,” Innis has spent her first four weeks on the job, getting to know pivotal players on the youth assistance playing field within the school district, the faith community, and the village.
“Youth assistance does exist to help reduce juvenile delinquency, child neglect, and abuse through community involvement,” Innis said.
“My goal here is to keep that strong commitment in the area, and in the short time I’ve been here I’ve realized that the local sponsorships are very dedicated to this program.”
Gail Innis can be reached at (248) 627-6445.