New teen center hopes to help reduce youth crime in El Paso County
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)--The opening of a new Colorado Springs youth center is in the works.
'Forge Evolution' is working to remodel an old city building and turn it into one of the first teen resource centers in El Paso County. The main goal for the non-profit is to provide kids and teenagers a location where they can feel safe, but also have the tools needed to achieve their academic and recreational goals.
Forge Evolution will offer its services to kids ages 10 through 19. The center will have resources like a computer lab, drop-in center, meals, 3D printing, a basketball court, and a community kitchen where kids will learn cooking skills. They will also have one on one counseling, behavioral therapy, and more. Forge Evolution hopes these resources will help bring down the number of teens involved in crimes across El Paso County.
"And so what this drop-in program, and what this teen center is doing is providing that place that young people have instead of doing those crimes, instead of going and shoplifting because they are bored. They have an opportunity to come and do programming here, build resilience. This is not just a center where they get to stay, hang out and play video games, they are actually going to build those skills," said Morgan Mote, CEO of Forge Evolution.
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The services provided at Forge Evolution will be free for those kids who attend. Forge Evolution expects to serve hundreds of kids per week once they are open to the public.
The center is expected to open its doors by late 2024.