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Successful Kids, Strong Families

Hope. Healing. Opportunity.

Making a positive impact

We foster good in all that we do. We foster good opportunities.
We promote good character and ideas, positive outcomes, healthy lifestyles and strong relationships.

We help youth grow emotionally, behaviorally, and educationally through a variety of services - each one using our effective treatment philosophy. We nurture. We challenge. We empower the child and the whole family. We help build the skills to live productive and fulfilling lives.

New Directions is a 501(c)3 non-profit agency with a rich history going back more than 130 years, with a passion to foster resilient, self-reliant families and stable, loving environments for all children by promoting safe, respectful, responsible, and goal-directed behavior. We do this through our dedicated, caring staff and our treatment philosophy of Normative Culture.

We are proud of what we do, and look forward to partnering with you and your family.
Welcome to New Directions, where change is for good.

Learn More about our evidence-based Treatment

Our Philosophy of Care

More than just words... A way of Life

We help youth & families identify their strengths. Then we help them to use those strengths to overcome challenges and build new skills - creating a foundation of hope, growth, opportunity and personal responsibility. We support the process of self-discovery and encourage the development of meaningful relationships

Our Guiding Principles

We believe that behavior can be guided using role modeling, positive reinforcement, teaching, and setting positive expectations.
We help create personal strengths using "Normative Culture", which helps to establish an internal guide for our behaviors.

In Normative Culture, expected attitudes and behaviors are called "norms".
The four norms we focus on are respect, responsibility, safety, and achieving goals.

Normative Culture teaches youth that they have the power to create positive changes in their behavior and lives.
It also provides parents, children and staff with shared expectations and a common language regarding attitudes and actions.

Learn About Our Culture

Safety

Everyone has the right to feel safe, both physically and psychologically, within a diverse and respectful culture.

Responsibility

Each of us must accept our shared responsibility for our community, and take accountability for our thoughts, words and actions.

Respect

We must treat all people with respect and consideration, including ourselves!

Goal-Directed Behavior

Each of us has a responsibility for setting realistic, positive goals for ourselves, and to build the skills needed to reach these goals.

Positive Outcomes

The many faces of success

Success for us takes many forms. It could be the day a family is reunited, the proud smile of a child who reaches an established goal, a college acceptance letter after years of hard work, or simply the bond of a happy, healthy family.

To achieve these positive outcomes, we support each child in a process of self-discovery and maturation. We encourage each child to connect with people in meaningful ways. Our experiential learning programs provide the confidence to try new enriching activities, such as Adventure Recreation, equestrian classes, and ropes courses. And we challenge youths to take positive risks and show a willingness to adapt.

Samia's Story
Read their story
The Family Tree
Read their story

Make a Difference

Help children and families succeed

Whether it's our precious time, a special talent, a unique perspective, or financial resources, we all have something to contribute!

Support Our Mission

Many concerned, compassionate people just like you are helping children and families succeed through their support of the New Directions Foundation, which supports the agency’s mission by raising funds, increasing public awareness and developing a vital network of friends throughout the communities we serve.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’ve expanded our facilities, supported special activities, enhanced programs and services, and improved the quality of life for countless children and families. And you can help us continue with this important mission.

To give a child a fresh start on a successful life, please consider joining your friends and neighbors and make a donation to New Directions today.

See the ways you can support our mission

Leave a Legacy

Throughout our 150 year history, many people have chosen to remember us in their will, which often enables them to provide a level of support considered unachievable during their lifetime. These generous, thoughtful gifts are frequently made directly to our foundation’s endowment, ensuring that this gift will continue to provide support for generations to come!

Learn More

Updates From Our Blog

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14
March 2023

Celebrating Women’s History Month – Bea Lovell

New Directions’ Normative Award for Safety is named in memory of Bea Lovell. Safety can be the easiest and the most difficult norm to ensure. Locks, fire protection and good supervision all help establish physical safety, but emotional safety is more elusive. Bea Lovell made everyone feel safe, both physically and emotionally. Bea could anticipate Read More

13
March 2023

So, You Want a Horse?

  Taking care of an animal is a huge responsibility, and horses are no exception! Here is what the Equestrian Team tells kids at New Directions about the responsibility of owning a horse, when kids say they want their own. “The first thing to consider is the cost of the horse, and horses can be Read More

15
February 2023

NEW DIRECTIONS ANNOUNCES FAMILY PEER SUPPORT SERVICES IN ERIE COUNTY

NEW DIRECTIONS ANNOUNCES FAMILY PEER SUPPORT SERVICES IN ERIE COUNTY For Families Experiencing Mental Health or Behavior Challenges   ERIE COUNTY – Parents and caregivers of youth who are experiencing mental health or behavior challenges can now access free services from others who have personal experience raising a child facing similar challenges through Family Peer Read More

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