What We Believe – About Young People
We believe that all young people have the capacity to live fulfilling, productive lives and make positive contributions to their communities.
We believe that young people in underserved neighborhoods should have the same kinds of opportunities to develop their potential that are available to children in better circumstances.
We believe that the years between middle school and early adulthood are a particularly vulnerable, often tumultuous period in a young person’s life and yet critically important for academic, social and emotional development.
We believe that single-parent families and young people in foster care face enormous challenges, and we have a particular interest in helping to meet their needs.
We also have a special focus on youth justice. We believe that young people must be held accountable for their actions, but that incarceration is rarely the most effective tool. As a result, we support a number of programs for court involved youth that build skills, a sense of responsibility and positive social networks.
