Rebuilding Families: A new campus for Plummer Youth Promise
Plummer Youth Promise has embarked on a long overdue capital project that is rebuilding our campus at Winter Island in Salem. This project is creating dignified, trauma-informed facilities for the youth and families we serve, finally matching the standard of excellence set by our groundbreaking work. Together, we will bring Plummer Youth Promise into the future.
A Residence That Aligns with Our Values
- Single occupancy restrooms where youth can use facilities and shower in private
- Single bedrooms where youth can study, talk to friends and family, and sleep without disruption
- Bedrooms and living spaces in separate building from administrative offices, reducing intrusions on youth privacy
- Indoor space for visits and gatherings with family that is culturally competent and welcoming
- Fully appointed family-visiting apartment where family can stay overnight and cook meals together
- Apartment-style kitchen and appliances where youth can cook and do laundry in a comfortable and welcoming setting
- Ample personal storage where youth can store their precious items safely without worry they will be lost among the belongings of others
An Inclusive Process
Inclusion is one of our operating principles – it was essential to create an inclusive and youth-centered design process. We began by listening. We listened to former and current residents about what they wanted. Staff, Board members, and experts also contributed.
From the decision to exclusively have private bathrooms and bedrooms, to the size and function of common areas, youth input weighed heavily on design.
We heard youth when they told us that they didn’t have space to host family at Plummer – a fully appointed family visiting apartment will welcome families on our new campus, and additional gathering space will be available within the new residence.
Staff feedback led to a final design that will provide space for them to take their work to the next level, removing them from closet workspaces and windowless basement offices. Those who work closely with youth will have offices near residential space where youth can easily find them. Meanwhile, administrative staff will work out of a separate building, no longer having to disrupt the privacy of residents to access their offices.
Before finalizing the construction plans, our facilities team held a series of meetings with youth in our residential program to ensure they had a chance to review and approve the final design. This process led to a significant layout change that placed the younger residents (13-18) in our group home in closer proximity to additional support staff in the administrative building.
