NAUGATUCK — After graduating from Naugatuck High School in 2004, Kristen Mabrouk didn’t envision returning to the borough.
However, her career path has brought Mabrouk back to her hometown. In September, Mabrouk, 28, took over as the executive director of the newly-formed nonprofit Naugatuck Youth Services.
“I grew up in Naugatuck. I graduated from Naugatuck High School in 2004. I never really thought that I would come back here, but I did. I’m happy that I did,” said Mabrouk, who currently lives in Watertown.
The organization used to be Naugatuck Youth and Family Services, a borough-run department. In 2013 the West Hartford-based consulting firm Blum & Shapiro conducted a long-term study recommending the borough look into privatizing certain aspects of the government, including Naugatuck Youth and Family Services.
Fearing that the department might be shut down all together its advisory board recommended creating a nonprofit organization to take the place of the department.
This led to the creation of Naugatuck Youth Services, which took over for Naugatuck Youth and Family Services in July.
Mabrouk is the first employee the organization has hired. She graduated from the University of New Haven with a graduate degree in community psychology with a concentration in program development.
“So meeting with people and working with people to connect their goals and ideas to make stuff happen is what I am really interested in,” Mabrouk said.
While she has only been with Naugatuck Youth Services for two months Mabrouk is no stranger to working with children and communities. She worked as the membership director at the Greater Waterbury YMCA for the past four years.
“I liked what I was doing there, but what I liked most about what I was doing was that I got to build relationships with kids,” Mabrouk said. “That’s something I’m definitely passionate about. So when this opportunity opened up it seemed like it was a perfect fit. It’s program development. It’s working with kids and families in a community I have roots in and obviously care about.”
Geoffrey Drawbridge, who serves on the organization’s Board of Directors, said the organization was lucky to find Mabrouk.
“We certainly needed an executive director. The agency could not continue to function without one. She comes to us very well qualified, by education and by experience. We were extremely fortunate to find her,” Drawbridge said.
Mabrouk said the board is still working on its plan and mission statement, but she has ideas about the direction she wants to take the organization.
“I know my priority is building a sustainable organization that is responsive to community needs and flexible enough to change in the future as the community changes. To really build a safe space where all young people in the community are valued,” Mabrouk said.
Mabrouk said she doesn’t want the organization to be a place for just youth who are troubled or involved in many different organizations, but rather a place where all children can go and feel they belong.
Mabrouk said one of her priorities is to ensure the youth voice is heard in the community.
The organization will have an opportunity to do that soon.
Mabrouk is working to disseminate the results of a developmental assets survey that was given to borough students in May. She said the organization plans to do a youth retreat in the near future with 40 students to discuss the results of the survey and identify what the main areas of concern and pride are for them.
“It’s an opportunity for us to let the kids tell us what direction we need to go and what our priorities need to be, which is really powerful because you’re hearing it from them,” Mabrouk said.
Mabrouk said she has also been looking at bringing new programs into the borough, such as Girls on the Run. The program encourages young girls in grades three through five to increase their self-esteem through running.
“The reason I think that age group is important to get talking about healthy relationships with themselves and others is because it is before they get on social media. That’s another thing that I want to personally educate myself on further and kind of work on with parents and school system to raise awareness about what’s going on for kids on social media,” Mabrouk said.
In addition to working with the borough’s youth Mabrouk hopes to work with other organizations.
“I think the position we are in is unique in that we are just starting. I would like to play the role of connector and collaborator between different organizations and agencies and individuals that want to help kids. I think there are a lot of those organizations in Naugatuck and they don’t all join forces as much as they could,” Mabrouk said.
As the organization moves forward, there will be numerous volunteer opportunities for residents, such as serving on the Local Prevention Council. Mabrouk hopes people will step up to help make the borough a better place for its youth.
“I feel really positive about Naugatuck. I think there’s a lot of work to do and I think there are a lot of things we can improve for their kids,” Mabrouk said. “I don’t think Naugatuck is any worse off than a lot of other places, but that doesn’t mean we can’t improve, can’t be better off than other people. We don’t have to settle for we are doing OK.”
