How a Henrico program is 'connecting' community kids with a sense of empowerment

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Jacquelyn Smith-White’s energy and passion for community is infectious; something she’s developed working directly with the people who make it up.

Smith-White, now the manager of the CONNECT program in Henrico County, has spent the last 23 years working in low-income communities in Henrico.

She first worked at Henrico Arms apartments, where she served as CONNECT program coordinator there for 19 years.

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The CONNECT program — which returned to the St. Luke community Wednesday after it left for several years — serves youth ages 6 to 17, specifically living in housing communities that have been identified as having a high number of risk factors.

The program offers services including homework assistance, life skills training, and leadership development.

“We engage them, with relationships, just being human, meeting them where they are, meeting parents where they are, sharing a bit of ourselves,” said Smith-White. “Many of us on the unit have had our fair share of challenges as well and just being human with them.”

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The services that CONNECT provides have immense impacts since some members of communities like St. Luke live at or near the poverty line. These areas have also seen acts of violence and substance abuse, but Smith-White said that most community members aren’t involved.

“We get highlighted for negative things, and so this feels great to be able to see, you know, the fruits of your labor and seeing some of the positive things that are going on in the community,” said Smith-White. “People coming out, being able to engage with one another, supporting our youth, our youth being happy, and you know, having fun. Those are things that don't often get highlighted that we get an opportunity to see daily.”

However, CONNECT is more than just a youth service program. Smith-White said it’s also the building block for rebuilding community norms and values.

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“In communities like St. Luke, people feel very isolated, and they feel like they are up against the world,” said Smith-White. “But as a village, we can work together, and I think being able to share that with the youth and giving them that sense of empowerment as young children, they will take those values with them as they mature through life.”

The program is now active in five different Henrico County communities and has an approximately 1:10 ratio between staff and youth.

“When [youth] are held accountable, and they know right from wrong, then they're able to do outside what they do and connect, they can do it outside in the larger community and in the world," Smith-White said.

You can find more information about CONNECT and the services it provides here .

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