BRATTLEBORO — Youth Services recently announced that Mack Mackin has joined the Youth Development team as the new youth and young adult intake and groups coordinator.
Mackin will be working out of both of Youth Services' offices, in Brattleboro and Bellows Falls, where they will spend their time conducting intake screenings, providing brief and stabilization services for youth and families, and coordinating groups - including professional development and support groups for Youth Services' host home program.
Mackin's position links youth and their families to basic needs resources such as food, transportation, medical care, therapeutic supports, and emergency or respite housing.
According to Christine Linn, director of Youth Development programs, these programs are driven by the core belief that youth and families fare best when they stay together until the youth is ready to intentionally transition to independent living.
Using a relationship-based, therapeutic case management model, the coordinator and case managers collaborate with youth and families to understand family conflict and increase communication skills using nonviolent communication, access resources, navigate education, child welfare, or other state systems, and connect to their community in meaningful ways.
Mackin is no stranger to working with young people. Prior to joining Youth Services, they were the Kids Club program coordinator at the Brattleboro Boys and Girls Club, where they connected with pre-teens and teens in its after-school program, developing programs and activities related to both services and professional development for staff.
They have also served as a volunteer board member of Westgate Housing since 2019.
As a student, Mackin created a podcast that focused on harm reduction and mentoring.
Mackin has a master's of science degree in management with a focus on mission-driven organizations from Marlboro College Graduate School and an undergraduate degree from Marlboro College, where they engaged in a cross-study among psychology, sociology, and radio journalism.