Brandon Twp.- Ragen Rockwell is ready to help kids and parents move in a positive direction as the new Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance caseworker.
Rockwell begins work this month, replacing Gail Innis, who has been transferred by Oakland County Youth Assistance.
‘I am excited about meeting new people, working with a new board and working with new parents and youth,? said Rockwell. ‘I’ve worked with at-risk youth for 21 years. This (Ortonville) will be new because I’ve always worked with inner city youth.?
Rockwell obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology and communications from the University of Michigan-Flint in 2001. While working on her degree, she was a substitute teacher in the Carmen-Ainsworth School District. After graduation, she worked with the Genesee County Youth Corporation, a homeless and runaway youth shelter for a decade, and was also a behavior specialist for Flint Northwestern for a year before being promoted to an advocate for the Flint School District Headstart Family Services. She held that job for four years, working to develop goals for families, good training for her position as a youth assistance caseworker. She comes to BGYA from Pontiac/Avondale Youth Assistance, and like her work in those two communities, she will also split work in her new position, also serving Holly as caseworker there.
Regardless of what community she is in, 50 percent of Rockwell’s work involves helping families and youth develop and obtain goals. Rockwell aims to get children into skillbuilding activities to keep them out of trouble.
‘Studies show that youth that are involved in extracurricular activities have a better chance of having a successful future,? she said. ‘We are stretched through doing new things. If kids aren’t doing things besides going to school, they aren’t getting stretched like through sports or musical hobbies. Providing them with activities to do after school is crucial to keeping them out of trouble.?
Youth assistance operates as a partnership between the county juvenile court system, communities and school districts to strengthen families through counseling and various programs, is now present in 26 communities and covers every district in the county. More than 3,000 children receive services directly from caseworkers annually, and hundreds more are helped through mentoring programs, summer camp opportunities, recreational scholarships and more.
Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance was established in 1979. Innis became an Oakland County caseworker in 1989 and was assigned here from 2002-2007 and returned to BGYA as caseworker in 2010. Caseworkers counsel individuals and families regarding a variety of issues including problems at home or school, attendance issues, and minor infractions of the law including substance abuse, curfew violations and petty theft.
Technology is one of the biggest challenges Rockwell said families are facing.
‘Technology is a great thing, but too much easy access for prolonged periods of time without knowledge of what can get youth into trouble can be dangerous,? she said. ‘It causes too many issues. We get results for those issues and sometimes we don’t and they end up in juvenile court. Too much screen time can take away from goals and sometimes results in addictions to technology, with kids and adults unable to stop texting or unable to go to bed.?
Volunteers are essential to BGYA and Rockwell is hoping to receive support from the community.
‘You guys are well above and beyond some of our other programs,? she said. ‘I will see where the need is from getting in the trenches and serving our families. My motivation is equipping parents with the tools they need to be better parents, for their children and community, because when their children grow up, they will be the community we are left with.?
For more information on BGYA, call 248-627-6445.