After 20 years serving area youngsters and teens, Community Youth Development (CYD) will close operations come end of summer, but not before transferring flagship programs STAR Leadership Training and SRQVolunteen to the care of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County (BGCSC) on Aug. 29. The programs will continue under BGCSC, says CYD executive director Karen Bogues, and “hopefully the work that we’ve done over 20 years has been integrated within the community in such a way that the spirit of what we’ve done lives on.”

Founded in 1996, CYD was initially conceived of as an adjunct program to exist within the architecture of a larger parent organization, lowering overhead costs but benefitting from the greater structure. Following the Great Recession, none were willing or able to house CYD and it was forced to incorporate as a nonprofit in 2010. Now, according to a statement from CYD, “current realities and changes in funding priorities” have made continued operations “not sustainable.”

The BGCSC was a “natural” fit to house CYD’s programs, says Bogues, citing the exceptional leadership of Bill Sadlo and the organization’s recent commitment to prioritize teen outreach and empowerment for the near future. But much of it came down to trust. “We’ve been strong partners for 20 years and we had already done so much together,” she says. “So there was a lot of familiarity between the two organizations.”

Under the BGCSC, both STAR Leadership Training and SRQVolunteen will continue on pace and lead staff from both programs will join the BGCSC to maintain continuity and mission. The biggest change will be in location, says Bogues, with BGCSC facilities now serving as home to future events, but even this could be a boon. “It might actually offer opportunities to kids who might not have been able to participate in the past due to transportation issues or other access issues,” she says.

The future of CYD’s Jump Start Training program is still under discussion, Bogues says.

But standing alone “was never the original intent” of CYD, she says, and she views this latest move as an “evolution” more than a loss.  The programs will survive intact and she’s keeping her eyes on the future. “I’m looking for another opportunity to continue to serve the community,” she says. “I love Sarasota County and I’m just figuring out where I can bring my talents next.”