Youth Services Agency's
The Barn Nature Center
Youth Services Agency (YSA) is a non-profit company that provides a range of services to youth and families to help promote positive youth development. YSA has 12 sites in eastern PA and provides education, adventure, recreation, social services, vocational training and related services. We are particularly proud to have involved thousands of youth in extensive community service projects, including the restoration of a number of historic buildings in Bucks Co. and in other regions of PA.
The historic, circa 1732, Barn at Neshaminy Manor Center, is 2 miles south of Doylestown at the intersection of Rt 611 & Almshouse Rd. It has been a community center since YSA restored it from 1994 to 1996. The upper floors contains indoor rock climbing as well as a game room, with pool, foosball, air hockey, ping pong, etc. Downstairs is an extensive Nature Center with interactive animal exhibits open to the public. YSA has collaborated with Bucks County 4-H, Bucks County Parks & Recreation Dept, most all area school districts, Scouts, and other organizations to provide high interest education and community service programs (at this site in the last 15 years).
The historic, circa 1732, Barn at Neshaminy Manor Center, is 2 miles south of Doylestown at the intersection of Rt 611 & Almshouse Rd. It has been a community center since YSA restored it from 1994 to 1996. The upper floors contains indoor rock climbing as well as a game room, with pool, foosball, air hockey, ping pong, etc. Downstairs is an extensive Nature Center with interactive animal exhibits open to the public. YSA has collaborated with Bucks County 4-H, Bucks County Parks & Recreation Dept, most all area school districts, Scouts, and other organizations to provide high interest education and community service programs (at this site in the last 15 years).
The Doylestown Barn
The Doylestown Barn, Circa 1732, was part of the Bucks County Poor House farm, a shelter for the poor during colonial times (hence the name Almshouse Road). The farm also supported a military hospital during the Civil War and the County Prison with prisoners working the farm into the early 1900’s.
Abandoned since the 1950’s and in disrepair, Youth Services Agency (YSA) received approval from Bucks County to renovate the Barn as a community service and vocational training project for at risk youth from 1994 to 1997. The project also received support from PennServe and several area school districts, and was selected as a national model program by the Corp. for National & Community Service in 1996.
Over 250 Bucks Co. youth helped restore the Barn over 5 years to become a center with recreation, youth social services, and public education. This successful project was duplicated with another Barn restoration in Langhorne at Middletown Park from 1998 to 2002, as well as at several sites upstate wherein at risk youth built “Adventure Learning Centers” for other youth. YSA is a national leader in community service projects for at risk youth with over 500,000 hours of service by youth and YSA staff since 1990.
Abandoned since the 1950’s and in disrepair, Youth Services Agency (YSA) received approval from Bucks County to renovate the Barn as a community service and vocational training project for at risk youth from 1994 to 1997. The project also received support from PennServe and several area school districts, and was selected as a national model program by the Corp. for National & Community Service in 1996.
Over 250 Bucks Co. youth helped restore the Barn over 5 years to become a center with recreation, youth social services, and public education. This successful project was duplicated with another Barn restoration in Langhorne at Middletown Park from 1998 to 2002, as well as at several sites upstate wherein at risk youth built “Adventure Learning Centers” for other youth. YSA is a national leader in community service projects for at risk youth with over 500,000 hours of service by youth and YSA staff since 1990.