Chinatown YMCA
Chinatown YMCA provides young people with a safe space to socialize, seek support and participate in activities that build self-esteem, prepare them for higher education and success as an adult. Through the various programs and workshops, our goal is to empower, inspire, and teach young people to be leaders. As part of the Youth & Family department, the Teen Center works to build the developmental assets of young people as they transition into adulthood.
Teen Membership
Come out and show your skills on our basketball court, work out in our fitness center or just hang out with friends in our lounge. A fitness orientation must be completed by all teens before using the cardio area.
Education and Leadership at Beacon at M.S. 131
The Chinatown YMCA Beacon at MS 131 is a totally free community center. We provide community access to a wide variety of school-based educational, recreational, and counseling services. The Beacon creates a safe haven and nurturing environment for neighborhood youth and adults in Lower Manhattan with an emphasis on the Chinatown/Lower East Side communities. This program is a collaborative effort between the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development and the Chinatown YMCA. The Beacon has been serving the communities in Lower Manhattan with quality programming and services since 1994.
Location: 100 Hester Street, NY, NY 10002
Telephone: 212-219-8393
Center Contact : Michelle Wang at mwang@ymcanyc.org
Teen After School Program
Here at the Harlem YMCA we develop our Teen Center activities based on our teens’ needs and interests. We operate on weekday afternoons and provide activities such as: spoken word, teen talk, access to a computer lab, dance, step, swimming, sports tournaments, open gym for recreation, basketball, soccer and other sports, health and fitness activities, academic support such as tutoring and homework help, college readiness workshops, service learning and community service opportunities and so much more. FREE
After school program (Grades 6 - 8)
Participants engage in a curriculum specifically designed to cover all six core areas (academic enhancement, career awareness/school to work transition, life skills, community building, recreation, and culture/arts) over the course of the school year. Activities include: homework help, tutoring, specialized study groups, sports, arts and crafts, computers, drama, basketball, teen discussion groups, and dance.
Teens Take The City
Teens Take the City is a dynamic leadership development program that offers NYC teens the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and get involved in issues affecting them and their community. Teens engage in community mapping to figure out how to better their community, work in small groups to identify a law to address the issue, develop a policy proposal that is debated for other teens at City Hall, learn the history and function of NYC government, and meet and interview an NYC official. Once students have developed a policy proposal, they will implement their initiatives in their community through youth-lead service learning activities. Talk about social responsibility at its best!
Jr. Leaders Club
You can meet many of tomorrow’s leaders today in our leadership incubation program that gives teens the opportunity to improve their leadership and social skills, while giving back to the community. Teens meet on a weekly basis in small groups to develop and implement projects aimed at providing valuable service to their local community.
Swim & Sports
Swim Lessons
Teens can learn to swim and improve their skills. Swimming programs are not part of the Teen Center.
Lifeguard Training and Certification
Become a certified lifeguard and help save lives.
Youth Sports
Teens can learn to play a sport, develop make new friends, and become empowered in youth sports programs such as basketball, soccer and martial arts. Sports programs are not part of the Teen Center.
Camp
Day Camps
YMCA teen camps in all five boroughs are designed to immerse campers in fun activities that keep them active, learning, and engaged during the summer months. Teen campers participate in hands-on programming geared towards building self-confidence as well as activities designed to engage teens in developing educational and career goals. Campers go on field trips, and participate in swimming, dancing, singing, sports and more!
Sleepaway, Adventure, and Sports Camps
Teens can participate in traditional sleepaway camps, adventure camps, and sports camps at YMCA Camp in Huguenot, New York, located 86 miles northwest of NYC between the Delaware Water Gap and the Catskill Mountains.
