Youth & Teens

Friends of the Children connects a salaried, trained professional mentor with children who are statistically the most at-risk for continuing the cycle of poverty in their lives. The organization guarantees that children who enter the program will have a mentor who spends at least 16 hours per month with them, for 12.5 years (from Kindergarten through graduation). Mentors work with children in their communities while focusing on nine Core Assets aimed at the social and emotional development of youth. The program is funded through government grants, philanthropic gifts from foundations and corporations, and through individual donations. Independent researchers have examined the results of the Friends of the Children model, and found positive results. Children in the program show improved social skills and behavior, a higher likelihood of graduation, a lower chance of incarceration, and a 7:1 return on investment through decreased criminal justice and public health costs.

The Grandparents as Reading Partners (GARP) program at the C. Dee Wright Center in Akron, New York brings together "grandparents" (older adults) with elementary students from the Akron Central School District twice a week. Not only does this one-on-one attention improve the reading ability of the child participants, but it also fosters inter-generational relationships within the Akron community.

The Sharing Teens and Elders Program (STEP) was founded in 2014 by a Cognitive Trainer and Certified Geriatric Specialist, and is now operated in partnership with Senior Services for South Sound. The program aims to increase mental health and decrease social isolation for both youth and older adults by bringing these two groups together. Participants in the STEP program meet monthly, with approximately 50 people attending each month, and since 2014, a total of 100 youth and 70 older adults have participated in the program. An offshoot of the program, STEP 2, provides a safe space for women and girls of all ages to discuss women's issues share their personal experiences with each other. The founder of STEP is now working on a manual so that others can replicate the STEP program nationwide.

Founded in Rochester, New York, in 1973, Compeer is an international organization with over 51 locations worldwide, but its headquarters are in Buffalo. There is another local chapter in Niagara County as well. Compeer's mission is to combat the social isolation and loneliness experienced by those facing mental health challenges by pairing its clients with volunteers, who spend at least four hours one-on-one doing activities together with their "match." Compeer has a client base of over 2,000 people of all ages, from children to older adults, as well as a special focus on veterans. In addition to facilitating one-on-one supportive friendships, which helped over 300 people in 2018, Compeer Buffalo is also the largest provider of Mental Health First Aid training in Erie County, having trained more than 2,500 people since 2014. Those who are trained in Mental Health First Aid learn to recognize and respond to the signs of mental illness and substance abuse.

The Matt Urban Center provides a range of housing and community services such as homebuyer programs, senior services, food assistance, and youth after school programming. After school programs offer academic enrichment and development through tutoring, mentorships, cooking lessons, and entrepreneurship classes. There are also recreational programs like theater, sports activities, and bicycle building workshops. Teen students have access to the teen workforce development program. The Matt Urban Center is funded through a combination of public and private funds (i.e. City of Buffalo, United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, M&T Bank, etc). In the past year this center has served 690 children through summer programs, after school programming, and teen workforce development. Such programs help to keep youth engaged in positive activities and reduce involvement in behaviors that would put them at-risk.

The P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) Program is a collaborative educational model that has been implemented in many regions across the nation with the goal of getting more young students interested in good paying, entry-level jobs in high growth fields in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In Buffalo, McKinley High School’s Buffalo Employment Green and Renewable Energy Education Network (BEGREEN) P-TECH program prepares students for jobs in green construction with a focus on carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Through BEGREEN, students earn a high school diploma along with a no-cost, two-year college degree in occupational studies from Alfred State by taking college-level courses. Students can also explore green careers through company tours, mentors, paid internships and other hands-on experiences. In past years, students toured places like KeyBank Center and National Grid's control center to learn first-hand from industry professionals about their job responsibilities and corporate sustainability. The program was funded through a seven-year NYS P-Tech grant that began in 2014.

Established in 1974, the Youth Engaged in Service (YES) volunteer program gives students ages 12-21 opportunities to engage in community service. Students serve a broad array of constituents, including children, older adults, low-income families, persons who are mentally and/or physically challenged, and charitable organizations. Students sign up for activities on a monthly basis. These include visiting libraries to assist with children’s reading activities, visiting nursing homes to assist with recreation programs, helping PTA parents attend meetings by providing child care, visiting the WNY Food Bank to sort food, and volunteering at Habitat for Humanity. The program is funded through a combination of sources, including the Town of Amherst, the NYS Office of Children and Family Services, periodic donations from agencies served, and fundraising efforts.

Safe and Successful Youth Initiative (SSYI) is a violence prevention program in the state of Massachusetts that targets youth in 11 cities throughout the state, including Boston, Springfield, and Worcester. The initiative targets young men believed to be at risk for violent behavior and involved with firearms. Using a public health approach, the initiative provides these men with services such as counseling, mentoring, and more. American Institutes for Research lauded Massachusetts for being one of the only states to utilize research-based approaches to violent crime reduction at a multi-city level. Between 2012 and 2013, SSYI prevented nearly $15 million in crime victimizations in Boston and Springfield.

JustTellOne.org is a public awareness initative led by Mental Health Advocates of WNY, with the goal of encouraging those who suffer from mental or behavioral health issues to seek help as early as possible, decreasing the likelihood of the issue turning into a crisis. Its intended audience are youth and young adults struggling with depression, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, or sucidial thoughts as well as the trusted adults (coaches, teachers, etc.) that these youth and young adults may confide in. JustTellOne.org has toolkits available for download for various mental health issues as well as a toolkit for members of the media to address how mental health is depicted in the media. All materials are available in several languages (Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Karen, Nepalese, Somali, and Spanish).

The Youth Build Program is a global youth initiative that strives to rebuild communities and people by constructing community centers, affordable housing, schools, and other valuable community assets. To make these developments possible, the program teaches low-income youth construction skills that they can use to give back to their community. The program focuses on people ages 16-24, providing opportunities for those without diplomas to obtain their GED and learn valuable construction skills. As a 501(c)(3) YouthBuild receives funding from public and private donors. The Youth Build Program has constructed more than 32,000 affordable housing units across the US and 74% of participants received high school equivalency diplomas or industry recognized credentials.