Welcome to National Safe Place
Everybody Needs a Safe Place
Safe Place is the first step to help for any youth in crisis or at risk. This community collaboration program, operated by youth shelters or youth serving agencies make it possible for any youth to access help at locations including fast food restaurants, convenience stores, fire stations, libraries and city buses which display the Safe Place sign. Youth can easily find help at Safe Place sites in their own neighborhood whenever they need it. Safe Place connects youth to immediate help and safety and offers supportive services to both youth and their families.
NSP Executive Director Receives Award
Sandy Bowen Recieves Lifetime Achievement Award from NN4Y
It is with pleasure that the YMCA of Greater Louisville and The National Safe Place Board of Directors has announced that Sandy Bowen, NSP Executive Director, has been selected as the 2010 National Network for Youth Lifetime Achievement Award winner. National Safe Place was founded as a program of YMCA Shelter House, now YMCA Safe Place Services, a youth shelter and counseling outreach services that is a branch of the YMCA of Greater Louisville.
"Her leadership with the National Safe Place movement has spanned the infancy of the program to its current status as a national model for providing a network of services across the country based out of 17,000 locations", said Steve Tarver, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Louisville. "Sandy has used her wisdom and historical knowledge as a way to leverage a better future for National Safe Place and to provide the next level of service to young people. Her leadership has been truly extraordinary."
Sandy Bowen has fostered the Safe Place program since its infancy, when she became National Safe Place's first executive director in January 2001. A committed youth advocate with a proven record of results during her quarter century in the field, she is responsible for managing the youth education and outreach program, which includes identifying national collaborative partners, recruiting board leadership and securing corporate sponsors.
In 1985, Bowen became the coordinator of the Safe Place program in Louisville, KY. In this role she was intricately involved in expanding the local Safe Place model -- started in 1983 as an outreach effort of the YMCA of Greater Louisville -- into other states. Since that time she has led the organization through a period of growth, expanding the scope of Safe Place from one program in Louisville, KY to 140 agencies in 38 states in 2009.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual for his or her lifetime commitment and contribution to the field of youth work. This is the highest honor bestowed by the NN4Y and is only given after careful consideration and deliberation by the Awards Committee. The award will be presented to Sandy at the Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday evening, January 26 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.
