Alternatives offers school-based counseling groups, which address substance abuse prevention, anger management, communication and social skill development.

My teenage son who used to be straight A student is failing all his classes this quarter. Also, he is hanging out with a different crowd of friends and is suddenly very disconnected from the family. I think he may be using drugs. What should I do? Can you help me figure out what’s happening to him?

Counseling Services offers substance abuse treatment services and therapy for families experiencing internal conflict.

Here’s a young person who has gotten into some serious trouble. But he’s not a bad kid…he just needs someone to help him plan and stick to a regular schedule of structured activities

Counseling Services manages youth cases that have been diverted from juvenile court for 6 months through the Juvenile Justice Diversion Project.

I’m a youth police officer who needs support in working with a youth who was recently picked up during school hours for truancy and is now refusing to return to his parents.

Family Intervention Services offer 24-hour crisis response services to the local area police stations for locked out and runaway youth. Counseling and case management services are provided with the goal of reunification of the family.

I just got into a huge fight in the lunchroom with another girl because she called my boyfriend “a player.” She said she was going to “get me” after school because I cursed her out. What should I do?

Through Restorative Justice services, Alternatives offers eight-week conflict resolution groups are offered at local area high schools, after school and summer camp programs. Youth are also trained as peer mediators at 2 local high schools to provide mediation services to their peers. There is also a drop-in center at Senn High School.

I am in high school and want practical experience that would be helpful toward my aspirations of becoming a judge or lawyer or something like that.

Peer Jury is a Restorative Justice program that trains youth as peer jurors to analyze the facts and determine the consequences of real cases of their peers.

My fourth grader at Field Elementary School in Rogers Park likes school, but he’s bored in the afternoons. He needs something fun that he can do every day after school.

Education and Prevention Programs offer daily after school programming focused on whole child development through artistic, recreational, and academic enrichment activities. Our Uptown-based ethnic association is located in looking to add a science component to our after-school curriculum.

We need advice on curriculum and logistics.

Education and Prevention Programs provides program development and technical assistance for community collaborations within Edgewater, Uptown, and Rogers Park, which deliver youth programs.

My daughter wants to be stockbroker. She really likes math but finds her class boring. Isn’t there a way they can make the class a little more lively and relevant to career interests?

Education and Prevention Programs facilitates business/teacher partnerships. An employer and educator design curriculum and co-facilitate classroom based projects which help youth explore careers.

I’m graduating from high school next spring, and I want to go to college, but not right away. The problem is I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself; I’ve never had a job before.

Career and Employment Services provides pre-employment training and job placement assistance for individuals or in-group workshops.

My friend dropped out of high school and has a hard to time finding or keeping a job. I want to help her to get back to school but she really wants to work too. How can I help her achieve both?

Career and Employment Services can help your friend get her GED, set goals for the next 6 months and for the next five years. She will have the chance to work as well as complete her high school education and strive for future success while working one-on-one with a career and employment specialist.

I am 16 years old and just gave birth to my first child. I’m living in a shelter with my little boy and want to start working but am not sure how to go about it.

Career and Employment Services is a collaborating partner in the Night Ministry’s Youth Shelter Network for pregnant and parenting teens. To find out more about the Network and the services that Alternatives offers, email Carmen Curet.