Making a positive difference in the lives of young people and their families

Diakon Youth Services has been transforming the lives of at-risk youths since the 1970s, through a range of community-based treatment, training, counseling, and mentoring services. Diakon Youth Services prides itself on working with county agencies to create unique strategies to help young people, among them community-based day treatment, monitoring services, and an evening reporting center.

Typically serving youths who have been adjudicated delinquent or dependent by county juvenile courts or children and youth services (but considering private referrals), Diakon Youth Services offers a wide range of programs designed to help the young people become productive, contributing members of society.

Part of Diakon Youth Services, the Diakon Wilderness Center has been a leader in providing specialized, outdoor-based services for children and youths from across Pennsylvania since the 1980s. Located on 170 mountainous acres near Boiling Springs, Pa., the center provides month-long wilderness challenge-based experiences, a weekend program designed to help young people avoid the temptations of their home environment Friday through Sunday, and an alternative-education day treatment program.

In addition, the center hosts the Flight Program, a unique mentoring and service initiative in which former students of the center and other young people who have aged out of other youth services voluntarily participate to enhance their opportunities for achieving responsibility and success.

Diakon Youth Services directly continues Diakon’s 150-year heritage of care and concern for children, youths, and families, begun by homes for children established in the 1800s. It’s a remarkable tradition that uphold daily in our many programs.

We invite you to learn more about how we’re making a real difference in the lives of youths and their families.

Diakon Youth Services Scholarship Application …

Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries offers academic scholarships to current and former participants of any of its youth programs. Funds provided by the Charles Merit Singer Trust are used to support post-secondary education and related training for youths served by our programs.

Interested youths must complete a scholarship application and meet all requirements described on the application. A review team composed of Diakon leadership members processes each application and makes a determination as to award.