GIVING SAFEHAVEN TEENS TO GET PLACE TO TURN TO.

Byline: Holly Edwards Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Fourteen years ago, Steve Le Pore began walking the streets of Hollywood every Friday night, handing out meals and lending an understanding ear to homeless teens who had come to Hollywood in search of a dream and found Skid Row instead.

As human resources director for Landmark Entertainment Group on Hollywood Boulevard, Le Pore walked by troubled, often desperate, teens every day on his way to work.

Finally, in 1988, the Santa Clarita resident decided he had to do more than hand out sandwiches. He quit his job, began fund raising, and gathered enough money to start My Friend's Place, which would become the largest drop-in center for homeless teens in the city.

The center attracted teens from all over the country and all over the world, including a few from the Santa Clarita Valley. Le Pore said he was shocked to find teens from his own community living on the streets and resorting to prostitution to support their drug habits.

Now, Le Pore is bringing his humanitarian spirit home and is about to launch the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Project, a program designed to be an all-encompassing, ``one-stop shopping center'' of teen services.

The problems facing Santa Clarita teens may not be as severe as those facing homeless teens in Hollywood, Le Pore said, but their emotional needs are the same.

``There are problems unique to teens, whether they are wealthy or poor,'' he said. ``They often feel lonely, they have no sense of place in the world, they face a lot of peer pressure. If there is no support system for them from family or teachers or some other adults, they begin to experiment in destructive things.''

Le Pore, 44, and his outreach specialist, Wade Trimmer, 28, moved into their new office in the Valencia Industrial Center last week and plan to begin parent support groups, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and Marijuana Anonymous meetings at the center next month.

The youth project also will start an Internet site in late October that will provide information for both parents and teens.

By January 2001, the program is expected to be in full swing, offering a wide range of services and information on everything from sexual issues and dating violence, to drug and alcohol use and peer pressure.

``There could be any number of things happening in a young person's life, and we want them to understand they're not alone,'' Le Pore said. ``It could be something as horrifying as a parent who is beating them up, or they are going to a party and they've never drunk beer before and they don't know if they want to try it.''

Local mental health and social service professionals will provide teen services in the office, or Le Pore and his staff will direct the teens to the help they need. The program's $210,000 annual budget will be paid for through corporate and individual donations, Le Pore said.

Two years ago, at the city's request, Le Pore and Trimmer conducted a survey of some 1,700 Santa Clarita high school students to find out what kind of problems they face.

The results were alarming. Nearly one-third had been in legal trouble, two-thirds had tried marijuana, one-third had used stimulants and one-fifth had run away from home at least once.

``We found a lot of substance across the board and there wasn't a great difference in that between high schools,'' Trimmer said. ``We also found a lot of violence in the home. The findings were shocking, but what they really told us is that even though the area is so beautiful, we also have problems that need to be addressed.''

City Councilman Frank Ferry, who is also a teacher at Valencia High School, said that as the population continues to swell in the valley - the fastest growing area in the county - services for teens will become more crucial.

``We have teens here who have been physically or sexually abused and many don't know where to go,'' Ferry said. ``The youth project is really looking to pinpoint students in the beginning stages so they don't get into serious trouble later on. When kids resort to alcohol or drugs, the reason may be violence or family issues at home.''

One of the least talked about but most pressing issues facing teens is sex, Ferry said. Despite a conservative atmosphere that promotes sexual abstinence before marriage, Ferry said, some Santa Clarita teens are getting pregnant and contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

``Even in an affluent community like ours, the reality is some teens have problems in our community and they need an adult they can talk to in a comfortable environment,'' he said. ``The youth program will be a safe haven teens can go to when they are facing crises in their lives.''

While Le Pore's survey of high school students did not cover sexual issues, the topic was raised at several teen discussion groups. Of the 80 students who participated in the groups, 46 percent of the girls and 66 percent of the boys said they were sexually active.

Le Pore acknowledged that sexual issues are often shrouded in fear and denial and are extremely sensitive for both teens and parents.

``We want teens to know that hope and help is out there,'' he said. ``By introducing this program, we eliminate the excuse for parents and teens that they didn't know where to go.''

When the program begins in January, Le Pore said he and his staff will hit the streets and visit high schools to get the word out about the youth project.

Project workers also will hand out some 15,000 cards with phone numbers that connect teens with the youth project, safe rides home and the youth crisis hotline. To encourage teens to keep the cards, a coupon for a free smoothie from Blenders Cafe on Town Center Drive will be included on one side.

``Every time they show the card and their student I.D., they'll get a free smoothie,'' Le Pore said. ``We're hoping they'll keep it in their wallet so when they're at a party they can just pull it out and get a safe ride home.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Steve Le Pore, left, and Wade Trimmer move into offices of their Santa Clarita Valley Youth Project. The project will serve troubled teen-agers.

(2) Wade Trimmer, from left, phone installer Dave Thomson and Steve Le Pore talk as they get things organized in their offices.

David Crane/Staff Photographer