Staff Profile: Meet Our Youth Pathways Supervisor
At NYFS, we are lucky to have passionate professionals who dedicate themselves to making a difference in young lives. Sam McGinnity, our Youth Pathways Supervisor leads our diversion and community connections services, providing guidance, resources, and mentorship to youth in need.
A Passion for Early Intervention
With a background in human services, Sam has worked in group homes with youth in the foster and probation systems. This experience inspired a desire to intervene earlier. “I wanted to find a position where I could help youth earlier along the path, before they got involved in too many systems,” he explains. At NYFS, Sam has found the perfect opportunity to provide that crucial support.
Collaboration Across Departments
One of the highlights of working at NYFS is the ability to collaborate with other departments. “If a client needs therapy, I can refer them down the hall. If they need housing or food stamp resources, I can refer them to our Community Advocate,” Sam says. Having these resources in one place makes it easier for youth and their families to get the comprehensive support they need.
Looking Ahead
Sam is excited to grow the Youth Pathways program, bringing on new staff and increasing the reach of his work. “It will definitely be fun to have new staff that I am supervising and being able to expand our entire Youth Pathways program,” he shares.
The Impact They Hope to Make
At the heart of Sam’s work is a simple but powerful goal: to help youth and families feel more confident about their futures. “I want youth to understand that the decisions they make today can have a very positive or negative impact on their future,” he says. By providing tools, guidance, and encouragement, he hopes to empower young people to make choices that lead to bright and successful futures.
Through Sam’s leadership, NYFS’ Youth Pathways program continues to provide life-changing support to young people in our community. To learn more about these programs, visit the Youth Pathways webpage.
