Group Helps At-Risk Teens, Their Parents

Sara didn’t really get her life on track until she turned 14. The Simi Valley teenager was on probation at the time for fighting, running away from home and dropping out of school.

But her probation officer led her to Simi Valley’s Teens at Risk Program, which helped her get things together.

Now, the 17-year-old junior at Santa Susana High School is thinking about attending Moorpark College and eventually becoming an elementary school teacher.

“You’ll be good at it, too,” said Mary Aitchison, a community services specialist for the city who coordinates the program.

It’s that kind of encouragement that 125 Simi Valley teens between the ages of 12 and 17 get each year from Aitchison and the city program she runs. Founded in 1982, the program provides support to at-risk teenagers and their parents and connects them with agencies that can help.

The group hosts seminars every summer that include presentations from police officers concerning the tough life of a runaway.

Aitchison frequently visits Simi Valley schools. The group meets regularly with 15 teens at a time.

Many of the teens who enter the program are referred by other organizations such as Ventura County Probation Agency Youth Services, which handles juvenile misdemeanors and crimes.

The goal is to give kids self-esteem, career goals and a sense of belonging before they get tangled up in the justice system, said Debbie Solomon, deputy director of the city’s citizen services department.

“It’s just a lot of listening,” Solomon said. Kids and parents are “not left out there, just to try to figure it out themselves. Parents can call and say, ‘I need help.’ ” For information on the program, call 583-6765.