How UCC’s Family Engagement Program Is Blending Connection, Wellness and Opportunity

What started as a smoothie-making workshop soon became something much more for a group of youth in UCC’s Family Engagement Program. As blenders hummed and fresh fruit was passed from hand to hand, barriers began to drop. Laughter replaced hesitation. Conversations sparked. Confidence grew.

This was the impact of a recent enrichment workshop hosted through UCC’s Family Engagement Program, led by Alfred Dill, Youth Court Liaison at the agency’s Youth, Family and Senior Services Department. The session featured Dill’s signature “Islander” smoothie, a tropical blend of pineapples, mangos, strawberries, bananas, orange sherbet, and coconut flakes.

The real ingredients, however, were connection, trust, and shared experiences.

“When we’re blending these fruits, we’re also blending confidence,” Dill said. “For youth coming from traumatic backgrounds, I want to ensure the program is a safe, high-energy haven where our young people can finally have fun while they grow.”

For justice-impacted youth, moments like this matter. Many come into the program guarded by past trauma or shaped by systems that have focused more on punishment than possibility. The smoothie workshop created a space where young people could engage without judgment, collaborate with peers, and experience what healthy living, and healthy relationships, can look like.

This approach is intentional. The Family Engagement Program is designed to meet youth ages 13–18 at a critical turning point, showing them that court involvement does not have to define their future. Instead, it can be the beginning of growth, accountability, and renewed direction.

Under Dill’s leadership, the program acts as a bridge between the courtroom and the community, helping youth and their families navigate complex systems while building practical skills that extend far beyond compliance.

“I’m passionate about showing these kids that a healthy lifestyle isn’t a chore. It’s a reward,” he said.

The program’s work is grounded in four core pillars that support long-term success:

Vital Resources: Connecting families to court-mandated and community-based services that strengthen stability at home.
Life Skills Development: Teaching de-escalation, self-reflection, accountability, and problem-solving.
Positive Alternatives: Offering constructive activities that redirect energy toward healthier choices.
Career Exploration: Providing mentorship and enrichment that help youth envision a future beyond their current circumstances.

For Dill, activities like the smoothie workshop are essential tools. By introducing wellness through engaging, hands-on experiences, youth begin to associate healthy choices with empowerment rather than obligation.

Through impactful programming and moments of genuine connection, UCC’s Family Engagement Program continues to redefine what intervention can look like. It’s not just about meeting requirements. It’s about building confidence, strengthening families, and helping youth see themselves as capable, valued, and full of potential.