Since we opened in 2002, The Eden Computer Clubhouse has always been a positive and safe place for youth to get tutoring, learn technology and hang-out with their friends. Though we have made some great strides forward in the quality and quantity of youth served in the last year, we are now moving towards a a whole new approach to youth engagement and community activism. Recently, we have made changes to our program pertaining to membership and progress tracking that has allowed our youth to hone, sharpen, and attain academic skills like never before, and take ownership in the Clubhouse by planning activities, setting goals and starting initiatives. In doing this, members have been empowered to not only be aware and take their education and careers into their own hands, but the culture of their community. These programmatic changes, coupled with our need to target the whole young person rather than just their academic development has inspired us to go from a youth center of learning, to a youth organization of development. This will allow us to not only teach them skills, but guide them to being productive and active citizens in their community, and address the issues in the community that affect them.

Along with the immediate benefits of the changes of the Eden Clubhouse facility and program, our community will see the long-term benefits of a youth-driven "City Hall". The youth of Hayward will not only receive tutoring, life skills, and technology training here, but will organize here to address many issues related to the youth in this area. They will host events with their peers, schools, and the community that will increases Eden Clubhouse's popularity among otherwise "disengaged youth" and spread a culture of community activism and unity. This new model we create will be documented in our film and be shown as a blueprint initiative at the 2010 annual conference which is themed on clubhouses having an impact on the world.

If there is anyway you can contribute to the improvement of our organization and community please contact us.

Thank you,

Freedom@edenclubhouse.org

(510) 785-6738

Office Hours: 10:00 - 6:00pm