Anchorpoint Counseling Ministry Strengthens Families, Communities

For more than 40 years, Anchorpoint Counseling Ministry has been helping children and families lead healthier lives. Originally known as North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center, the organization has grown from a consortium of eight churches to more than 30; and its services have grown to encompass the needs of individuals of all ages.

“When North Hills Youth Ministry first started in 1966, it served mainly as a ministry to teens,” explained the organization’s executive director, the Rev. Dr. Ron Barnes, MSW, LSW. “At that time, the drug culture was hitting the area hard, and there needed to be a place for kids to go where they would have adult supervision.”

While providing activities for children and teens, leaders of the nondenominational, faith-based organization realized that many of the parents involved also needed their help and decided to expand counseling services to include all members of the family. “In the early 1980s, we were doing a lot of family counseling, even working with the University of Pittsburgh on some programs,” said Barnes. “In 1992, our Community Education Director, Joan Wolf Schenker, asked if we could add parenting classes, and that opened the door to marital counseling as well.”

According to Barnes, as the ministry developed, it became obvious that the children they counseled for emotional problems often had academic problems as well. In 2001, tutoring programs were added to their list of services, which then developed into a Youth Development Program. In 2009, the name of the organization was changed to Anchorpoint Counseling Ministry to expand their reach even more.

“We realized that we were being limited by our name—a married couple, or an adult individual is not going to come to us if they think that we are only a youth ministry,” explained Barnes, adding that, even while expanding its services, the organization is still committed to youth and family therapy.

Many examples of this are found in the Community Education Program, which involves parent education, as well as outreach to school districts through an Empowering Girls program and a Developmental Assets program. “Research shows that there are eight categories of assets that build strong, healthy, confident kids,” explained Schenker. “We work with parents and their children to determine where their strengths are and determine what assets they need to develop to work through different issues.”

Some examples of external asset categories include support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations and constructive use of time. Internal assets include motivation, commitment to learning and social competencies, among others. Anchorpoint also works with teachers at different school districts, including Hampton, Shaler, Seneca Valley, North Allegheny, Northgate, North Hills, Pine Richland, Avonworth, and Fox Chapel to educate them on these developmental assets.

Through its Empowering Girls curriculum, Schenker, in partnership with the staff of Shaler Area District and Shaler North Hills Library, is currently teaching the art of storytelling to third- and fourth-grade girls in the district. “Girls in our Savvy Cinderellas program learn all about what storytelling is, and then perform for younger kids in the district and at the Shaler North Hills Library,” explained Schenker. “Through this, they increase self-confidence and basic assertiveness skills, which can keep them safe later in life. All of the stories feature heroines who are brave, strong and resourceful—characters who are proactive and empowered through action.

“Studies show that one of the greatest fears of over 65 percent of adults is speaking in front of an audience,” she added. “Having girls this age who are able to get up and tell a story in their own words to an audience is a huge step.”

The Community Education Program also offers 25 workshops to parents, ranging in topics from overindulgence to raising responsible kids, bullying, and disciplining children. Anchorpoint works with groups ranging from church youth groups to PTAs to the Girl Scouts.

Since the tutoring program was started in 2001, more than 235 children and teens have benefited from help with their school work. The program serves between 45 and 60 children a week, each of whom is matched with a tutor who also serves as a mentor.

“During the school year, everyone who works here is a volunteer; many are current or retired teachers, and we also have high school juniors and seniors and even some college students,” explained Tutoring Program Manager Sandy Niekum. “We help kids with all of the basic subjects, as well as homework assistance and help completing projects and book reports—whatever gets students back on track.”

Anchorpoint also offers an eight-week, remedial summer program, and all of its programs are designed to be affordable. “Many of our kids need tutoring but can’t afford a private tutor or for-profit agency,” said Niekum. “During the school year, our fees range from $5 to $10 an hour, though a number of students come for free.” Anchorpoint serves students from nine different school districts.

In order to be able to offer all of these services at an affordable rate, Anchorpoint Counseling Ministry does a lot of fundraising and also relies on support from individuals, businesses, corporations, foundations and churches. While they do receive some insurance money for counseling services, more than 40 percent of the clients they serve are subsidized. The organization is always in need of more volunteers to serve as tutors or in other capacities.

“Through our faith-based services, we are always looking for ways to strengthen individuals and families,” said Barnes. “We offer hope, meaning and a purpose in life.”

For information, call 412-366-1300 or visit www.anchorpointcounselingministry.org.