Strengthening Youth Resilience (SYR)
Strengthening Youth Resilience aims to enhance the health of middle school students and youth in after-school programs by addressing anxiety and depression through intensive, targeted interventions. CSULB interns collaborate with local youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach and LBUSD, helping them manage feelings of anger, worry, sadness, and irritability. These interns, currently enrolled in accredited programs, are training to become professional service providers. The program’s goal is to foster healthy relationships, strengthen social connections with peers, and improve overall quality of life.
The SYR Program places CSULB School of Social Work student interns in Long Beach Unified School District middle schools and Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach after school programs. The program's goal is to produce an evidence-based model to be replicated year after year and serve as a national model with the following objectives:
- Access children and youth in school and after-school environments
- Address anxiety and depression in children and youth
- Train, educate and engage systems impacting children and youth
- Increase behavioral health workforce by establishing additional social work internship opportunities
The CSULB social work interns are paired with professional counselors in the schools, and all interns receive weekly training from CSULB-employed supervisors.
Our Services
- Individual and group counseling
- Case management
- Classroom presentations
- Home visits
- Parent workshops
- Peer mentoring
- Referrals to community agencies
- Other services as needed
Middle Schools
- Franklin Classical Middle School
- Washington Middle School
Boys & Girls Clubs
- Dean A. Eastman/Fairfield Club, Long Beach
- John C. & Alice Wallace/Petrolane Center, Long Beach
- Freeman E. Fairfield/Westside Center, Long Beach
CSULB SYR Practicum Instructors
SYR Director
Community and Campus Partners
- The College of Health and Human Services at Long Beach State
- CSULB School of Social Work
- Long Beach Unified School District
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach
- Miller Foundation
- The Rudolph J and Daphne A Munzer Foundation
SYR 2023-2024 Data and Summary of Activities (PDF)
Sample Group Activity Flyers
- Document
SYR Mental Health Art Campaign
Among the interventions in SYR are creative activites like this mental health art campaign. Here are a few student examples that emerged from the project:
2024 SYR Group
