Youth First Creates Better Futures for the Community’s Youth
Youth First is making a huge impact in the South-Central Indiana region with programs that seek to strengthen the lives of the youth along with their families. They offer services that seek to prevent substance abuse in the youth, improve relationships within their families, and help develop their life skills. Youth First was founded in 1998 and is based in Evansville, Indiana, but serves the entire state’s youth and their families. Youth First also focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice as they understand that there will be differences in people and their communities.
Youth First has four very distinct values that they stand by for the youth. One of these values is compassion in which they show genuine concern for others and empathize with them based on their circumstances and perspectives. Another value is relationships, as they try to build partnerships within and outside of the organization. Using these relationships to then create an impact within communities and forge ahead in their mission. The third value is accountability, as they aim for the highest performance to help those that need it. The last distinct value is empowerment and using this to equip young people with skills and confidence to create a better life for themselves.
Youth First has many programs and resources available to the youth and their families to improve as individuals and as a family. One of the programs is Life Skills Training which targets the prevention of substance abuse among the youth. The program increases the youths’ knowledge of anti-drug skills and helps build resilience to pro-drug influences. Another program offered by Youth First, which is aimed at the community’s youth families, is Family Connections. Family Connections targets teens that may be demonstrating risky behaviors and being defiant toward their parents causing family conflict. A facilitator will then come in and provide family intervention sessions covering topics like family cohesion, self-control, and family expressiveness.
Youth First is the final not-for-profit organization to which the Bloomington Health Foundation (BHF) has awarded grant funds through our 2022 Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Through Youth First’s continued support of youth and their families in the South-Central Indiana region, they embody our impact area of mental health to support emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
Although our 2022 RFP process has concluded, the Bloomington Health Foundation will have new funding opportunities in 2023 for not-for-profit organizations working to help the people of Bloomington and surrounding communities lead healthier lives.
Like what you’re reading?
Facebook Instagram twitter LinkedIn