Boy With a Ball

We change the world when we help young people step out into doing so. It's not simply that engaging young people keeps them out of trouble. When we do not rely on them as leaders who have important, essential, and unique perspectives and ideas, we will not change the world. When we do not bridge them to opportunities for growth and development, they put their energy elsewhere, and the world loses out on innovations. There is no "neutral gear" for youth; they are being developed one way or another. It is their job in life to grow up; it is our role to help them do so well. Change the world by helping young people transform the world's most hurting neighborhoods: https://lnkd.in/eu9UrtsJ

Young people face a lot— in a moment of physical, social, emotional, and psychological transformation, they face youth culture, positive and negative influences, and fighting for hope for their future. Young people are not made to face this alone. Without those who care for, invest in, and develop them, they will struggle, and we will miss out. We just released the, "Youth Matter" Resource to help provide four critical lenses to help you understand young people and three tools you will need in order to develop them well. Download it today: https://hubs.ly/Q02TJtjT0 #youth #changemaker #changetheworld #youmatter #loveyourcity #everyyoungperson

To develop young people, we have to count on them to make a difference...today. Young people can carry more weight than we realize. In fact, if we fail to count on them as changemakers in our communities, we will neither develop them nor will we get in on the innovation and impact they are capable of. We must launch young people into world-changing opportunities. It is how they grow. Learn how to launch youth: https://hubs.ly/Q02T4pVq0

Develop is an action word. Young people grow as they go with you into life, as they face real-world situations, as they are required to overcome challenges. As amazing and potential-filled as young people are, they need development from caring, dedicated developers who go with them into grit-requiring, character-forming situations. You have an irreplaceable contribution to make in developing young people. Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q02T4r7D0

We know amazing, impactful girls around the world. Today is International Day of the Girl— a day designed to draw attention to the disproportionate number of issues impacting young women around the world and the important impact that girls can have. As an organization, we launch youth as changemakers into the world's most hurting neighborhoods, thousands of whom are young women who have held an irreplaceable part in reaching young people and transforming cities. From girls' groups to transformative friendships and beyond, girls are gifted leaders and innovators in our story. It really matters that we connect with, invest in, develop, and launch every young person. And we are honored to get to work alongside, reach, and fight for amazing girls in cities around the world.

If we are going to develop young people and do it well, we must invest in them in ways that work. Investment goes beyond empty empowerment to the sincere choice of giving what we have in our hands to help young people grow. While they are full of potential, youth need those who will help them have vision and purpose for their life, encounter and have access to helpful opportunities, and weave them into webs of support (to name a few critical investments). Every $1 given to youth development yields a 700% return in economic value; everything you invest in young people has an exponential return. Discover how you can invest in young people: https://lnkd.in/giE9bchu

Young people matter. Adolescence is hard. A helping hand makes the difference. It is easy for youth to get stuck - Stuck living in a slum. Stuck living in a refugee camp. Stuck in a bedroom glued to a device. Stuck without school supplies. Stuck without speaking the language they need to understand their teachers. Stuck in a bad group of friends. Stuck in a bad habit. Stuck without knowing how to apply & pay for college. Stuck needing to drop out of school to make $ to help their family. Stuck where they are in their socio emotional development. Stuck in a sense of rejection after their parent’s divorce. Stuck surrounded by bullies or gang members on the way home. The CDC states that one caring adult or older peer coming into a young person’s life is all it takes to make the difference in helping them get unstuck on the way to reaching their dreams. You can go out today to be that caring adult! Contact us today at boywithaball.com and we’ll help you join in the growing #loveyourcity movement. If going is not possible today, you can give right now to help others go! Your $ will be multiplied by other’s volunteer hours to lift entire communities out of poverty. #youmatter #makeadifference

History makes clear that those who reach and develop young people win. And if we are going to be those who get to develop them, we must connect with youth in meaningful ways. It's not enough to passively or generally care. We need to enter their world, know what they care about, uncover the things that are hard for them, and be knowable ourselves. The presence of one caring adult in the life of a young person is the greatest deterrent for at-risk behavior and a critical indicator of whether or not a young person will grow to reach their potential. Discover how you can connect with young people: https://lnkd.in/giE9bchu

What's a changemaker? One of our favorite words, Changemakers are young people who lead city-wide movements in their communities. They are leaders, passionate about growing, and gatherers of others. It's in the name— changemakers make change. Lasting, high-impact, amazing change. Young people are specifically, uniquely effective at transforming communities. Learn how to invest in youth as changemakers and transform lives— theirs and yours: https://hubs.ly/Q02SB_0N0

Saturdays are a big deal! Want to know why? Today alone, Love Your City Walkthroughs began this morning in Kenya, launched across the continent in Nigeria, then into the United States, and finally into Latin America. A women's group met for the first time this morning over breakfast. A boys' group gathered in the afternoon to play soccer and share about their hopes for their future. Super Saturday brought together parents, students, administrators, and partners to weave the school's community deeper together. And hundreds of volunteers showed up to lead, to launch youth as changemakers, to advance city-wide movements across their communities. Saturdays launch Love Your City into the week, setting up opportunities for small groups and mentoring relationships to form, young people to rise, and the community to transform. This is what every Saturday looks like for us; you should join us! If you were part of Love Your City today, let us know your favorite part in the comments! #youth #changemaker #changetheworld #youmatter #loveyourcity #everyyoungperson