Dawn Stueckle
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Dawn has worked with young people in San Francisco for more than two decades, starting campus-based girls’ support groups at Lincoln High School and A.P. Giannini Middle School in the early 1990s and co-founding in 1992 the organization that would later become Sunset Youth Services. In addition to providing leadership for the nonprofit, managing staff, connecting with donors, and building relationships with young people served by Sunset Youth Services, Dawn partners with numerous community coalitions and city agencies as an advisor, change agent, and voice for the disenfranchised youth of the city.
In 2018 Dawn was elected to co-chair the Juvenile Justice Providers Association (JJPA)–– a consortium of community-based organizations that she helped establish in 2004 and which plays an important role in local policy-making, youth advocacy and has a strong voice in how funds are used to meet the needs of vulnerable youth.
FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES
A member of the Sunset Family Resource Center, our Family Support Services help hundreds of families each year, including parents of young people served by the nonprofit as well as teen parents.​ Our Family Support Services promote the five protective factors that lay the groundwork for a healthy family life.
Trained and certified through the San Francisco Family Support Network, our healing-centered Family Success Coaches (one of whom speaks Mandarin) meet weekly with families in crisis and help them identify needs, brainstorm options, establish parenting goals, and practice positive parent-child interactions. Our services include referrals, advocacy for children in the public school system and juvenile-justice system, research-based parent education workshops, parenting classes, family-bonding outings, and a weekly food pantry.
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POSITIVE PARENTING CLASSES
​SYS also offers Triple P Positive Parenting classes to help parents build relationships with their children and encourage positive behavior. Ranked the #1 parenting program in the world by the United Nations, this evidence-based program is used in 20+ countries, coordinated by our Family Success Coaches, and taught by Executive Director Dawn Stueckle twice per year.
"Since I took the class, my kids and I have been spending time bonding more than ever. Our relationships and love are now truly unconditional!"
- Jaime
What Parents Are Saying
"Your Triple P class was thoughtful, educational, eye opening and nurturing, just like the parents we hope to become one day. My kids are still talking about parenting class and how much THEY enjoyed it. The teen panel was a great idea as well, so informative and realistic. Hoping I can implement all that I've learned."
- Anna
"My son got a great report card. There was nothing but good words and praise in this meeting. His teacher was like,'Oh, Erin, all your effort and support has really shown this quarter.' Triple P saved my life."
- Erin
GRIEF & BEREAVEMENT CIRCLES
Josie's Place (now a program of Sunset Youth Services) has offered grief and bereavement support to children and teens in San Francisco for over a decade. In July 2024, they officially became a part of the Sunset Youth Services family.​
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Our Grief Circles program supports children, teens, young adults, and caregivers who are grieving. Through education, compassion, understanding, and a safe environment, we help families integrate loss into their lives at their own pace. ​​
Young people deserve the opportunity to grieve the death of a close family member or friend in a supportive and understanding environment. Adult facilitators are trained in the Dougy Center model.
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Click here to learn more about our values:
Our Circles
We offer two in-person support groups, or grief circles. These groups gather at our Family Support building in the Outer Sunset of San Francisco, CA.
We currently offer two virtual, online support groups intended for families who cannot access our in-person services.
Interested in volunteering with our grief circles?
For more information or to enroll in one of our groups, contact us at josiesplace@sunsetyouthservices.org
FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES STAFF
Carrie Peng
Kelsey Ellis
Maria Dajani
Family Success Coach
Grief Circles Program Coordinator
Family Success Coach
Amy Hou
Grief Circles Program Manager