LANCASTER YOUTH CENTER ON THE MOVE; INCREASED PROGRAMS SLATED FOR BIGGER SITE.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer It's just a few miles away, but it makes a world of difference. The United Community Action Network, serving 8,000 youths each year, moved Tuesday from its cramped cramped adj. 1. Uncomfortably small or restricted: cramped living quarters. 2. Difficult to read, especially for being crowded into a small space: cramped handwriting. quarters at a Sierra Highway Sierra Highway is a road in Southern California, United States. It runs from Tunnel Station near the north limit of the City of Los Angeles, where it intersects with San Fernando Road and Foothill Boulevard, as well as Interstate 5, and continues north to Mojave, mostly paralleling shopping center shopping center, a concentration of retail, service, and entertainment enterprises designed to serve the surrounding region. The modern shopping center differs from its antecedents—bazaars and marketplaces—in that the shops are usually amalgamated into to a facility three times the size at 44231 Division St. ``It's unlimited possibilities of what we can do,'' said Billy Pricer, executive director of the center. ``We have a lot of room to work with. I couldn't be more happy.'' The community-based organization was founded in 1989 by Pricer, a former sheriff's deputy and school board member. It is designed to help keep youths out of trouble, offering referrals into diversion programs A diversion program in the criminal justice system is a program run by a district attorney's office designed to enable offenders of criminal law (usually minor offenses) to avoid criminal charges [1][2]. , adult role models, one-on-one guidance, parent support groups and group counseling. Half the new building is dedicated to administrative and counseling offices, meeting rooms, a computer training room, a children's activity center and a conference room, while the other half is set up with a youth sports and activities center, and work sites. The 14,000 square-foot building and surrounding land offer room for growth, UCAN UCAN Utility Consumers' Action Network (California) UCAN Utah Communications Agency Network UCAN Uhlich Children's Advantage Network UCAN Ultra-wideband Concepts for Ad hoc Networks officials noted. ``It was just one of those things that we were able to get it at the right time,'' Pricer said. UCAN obtained $529,000 from Proposition A, a Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County parks bond, for the project. ``We've been very fortunate,'' said Pricer. The administrators and counselors moved in last week, but UCAN is seeking donations of carpet and some services before completing the move. With the added space, UCAN hopes to expand the programs it offers. ``My board of directors are just coming up with so many ideas,'' Pricer said. ``Everyone's excited about what we will now be able to do.'' Officials are hoping to provide three work-experience programs, including furniture refinishing Refinishing in woodworking and decorative arts means fixing or redoing the finishing paint, varnish or other top coating of an object, from resanding to new paint and new varnish. The artisan or restorer is traditionally aiming for an improved or restored and renewed finish. , auto detailing Auto detailing is the practice of performing an extremely thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of an automobile, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. and child care. ``Not only are we trying to assist them academically but in a career as well,'' Pricer said. ``Our main goal is to have them occupy their time in something they can benefit from and become productive.'' Services currently offered by UCAN include: Wise Talk, a tour of life behind bars; a Rookie rookie a novice; often an athlete playing his first season as a member of a professional sports team. [Sports: Misc.] See : Inexperience League Baseball program; a 24-hour help line; drama and theater instruction; a first-time offender diversion program; truancy holding; one-on-one and group counseling for youths and parents; and prison outreach. Officials said the old location was too crowded. ``It was not conducive to a learning environment,'' said Pricer. ``We have teens using the computer in the same room where others were playing pool.'' Currently, the organization is funded through county and state grants. Pricer hopes that one day the organization will have its own foundation and solicit donations. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Bill and Deborah Pricer, co-founders of the United Community Action Network, are moving operations to 44231 Division St. in Lancaster. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News |
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