Bird Street understands that boys and girls, young men and young women, have specific gender needs. Therefore, the staff has developed gender-specific programs for youth ages 10 to 13 and 14-19. Bird Street's gender specific group mentoring programs focus on a variety of topics that are either youth driven or community driven.  Created to be both informal and confidential, these groups meet at least 3 times weekly with our experienced youth staff. Topics include: adopting healthy lifestyles, avoiding alcohol, drug, and tobacco abuse, preventing early pregnancy and parenting, creating positive social relationships, avoiding sexually transmitted diseases, importance of staying in school, violence and grieving, alternatives to gangs and the streets, personal challenges, and not giving up on one's dreams.

Girls Group: Ages 10-13 meets at least three times each week.  Field trips and vacation programs are planned well in advance. Health, wellness, and nutrition (shopping and cooking) activities are scheduled throughout the year. The group also participates in community service projects, scheduled twice a month.

The Young Women's Group: Ages 14-19 meets at leasts twice each week. Field trips and vacation programs are planned well in advance. Health, wellness, and nutrition (shopping and cooking) activities are scheduled throughout the year. The group also participates in community service projects, scheduled twice a month.

Boys Group: Ages 10-13 meets three times a week. The program includes outside speakers and presenters, and often includes field trips. A variety of community service projects help the boys find enjoyment in the work and help the service recipients connect with our youth.

Young Men's Group: Ages 14-19 meets three times a week. The program includes outside speakers and presenters, and often includes field trips. A variety of community service projects help the boys find enjoyment in the work and help the service recipients connect with our youth.

Girls and Young Women's Programs: Bird Street's Girls Programs offer a variety of opportunities to explore emotional, intellectual, physical and sexual needs. Activities include wellness, leadership, self-esteem building, prevention of drug, alcohol, and early pregnancy, staying in school and holding on to dreams for the future. Current Girls and Young Women specific programming includes self-defense training, career development, book club, poetry group, Tshirt design, dance group, flag football, Double Dutch, girls' basketball, socializing, arts classes, arts entrepreneurship program for 13-14 year old girls, trips and community service. In addition to planning activities that the girls identify, the Girls program leaders plans activities that will challenge the girls with new physical activities and sports, and expose them to new ways of looking at their world. The Girls program connects the girls to our Newsletter Club, Media Minds Program, arts and culture and leadership programs. The Girls program also examines youth violence, its root causes and solutions.

Boys and Young Men's Programs: Current Boys and Young Men's specific programming includes self-defense training, career development, book club, poetry group, Tshirt design, dance group, basketball, tennis, soccer, socializing, arts classes, arts entrepreneurship program for 13-14 year old boys, trips and community service. In addition to planning activities that the boys identify, Program leaders plan activities that will challenge the boys and young men with new physical activities and sports, including Krumping. The Boys and Young Men's Program connect the boys to our Newsletter Club, Media Minds Program, arts and culture and leadership programs. The Program also examines youth violence, its root causes and solutions.