Youth Guidance’s Post

A recent article from The Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring references an insightful piece from The Wall Street Journal highlighting how young American men are increasingly disengaged from education, employment, and personal connections. The article emphasizes that mentorship programs, like Youth Guidance's Becoming a Man (BAM), are crucial for addressing these challenges, providing boys with the guidance and support they need to succeed. 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gqyPgDyW 👉 WSJ story: America's Young Men Are Falling Even Further Behind: https://lnkd.in/gTQQFY2j (requires subscription) #MentorshipMatters #BoysLeadership #YouthEmpowerment

🌍✨ Today, we celebrate the strength, courage, and limitless potential of girls worldwide on International Day of the Girl! At Youth Guidance, our Working on Womanhood (WOW) program is proof of what’s possible when we invest in young women. WOW creates a safe space for girls to build resilience, process emotions, and develop life skills through trauma-informed counseling and social-emotional learning. ✨ The impact is real: Girls in WOW experience a 22% improvement in mental health and a 14% decrease in depression, according to the University of Chicago. These numbers reflect powerful transformations, as girls step into their strength, shaping brighter futures for themselves and their communities. 💪 On this day, let’s recommit to gender equity and continue empowering young girls to dream, grow, and lead! #InternationalDayoftheGirl #WOW #YouthGuidance #EmpowerGirls #GenderEquity #StrengthInSisterhood

A big thank you to Romanucci & Blandin, LLC for inviting our very own Nacole Milbrook, Psy.D. (sporting a pink blazer in the photos below) to speak at the inaugural "Your Bridge to Justice" panel event. Nacole shared powerful insights into the racial disparities in youth mental healthcare and how Youth Guidance is addressing these challenges head-on. Nacole highlighted the barriers youth of color face in accessing treatment, and how our school-based, culturally responsive programs like BAM (Becoming a Man) and WOW (Working on Womanhood) are breaking down those barriers by meeting youth where they are — in their schools — and providing no-cost, evidence-based services. Rigorous evaluation by the University of Chicago validates the impact: ▪ WOW students saw a 38% reduction in trauma-related distress and a 22% reduction in PTSD symptoms ▪ BAM students are 50% less likely to be arrested for violent crime and 19% more likely to graduate high school ▪ For every $1 invested in BAM, there’s a $30 societal gain Nacole’s message was clear: sustainable funding is essential to continue providing these life-changing programs to youth in need. Thank you again to Romanucci & Blandin for the opportunity to share our work and for helping elevate the conversation on equity in healthcare. Learn more at: www.youth-guidance.org #WorldMentalHealthDay #EquityInHealthcare #UpstreamPrevention

Happy World Mental Health Day from Youth Guidance!🌍💚 At Youth Guidance, we recognize that mental health is at the core of strong families and thriving communities. Just as we seek medical care for a broken leg or visit the eye doctor when our vision needs support, sometimes it’s our minds and hearts that require healing. That’s where Youth Guidance steps in, bridging the gap between mental health care and the needs of our most vulnerable communities. Through our BAM (Becoming A Man) and WOW (Working On Womanhood) programs, we provide life-changing mentorship and counseling to young people, equipping them with the emotional tools to face challenges, build resilience, and succeed in school and beyond. Our programs foster emotional well-being and help youth develop skills to navigate life's difficulties with confidence and strength. We are incredibly grateful for our dedicated counselors who provide essential care to students and families and for our amazing partners who make this work possible. As we celebrate World Mental Health Day, we encourage you to prioritize your own mental well-being—because when we care for ourselves, we build stronger, healthier communities together. 💪🏽💛 #WorldMentalHealthDay #YouthGuidance #BAM #WOW #MentalHealthMatters #CommunityCare #StrongerTogether

💜 It's WOW Wednesday! 💜 Our incredible WOW students at Solorio High School had the unique opportunity to sit down in a group circle with #92 Daniel Hardy from the Chicago Bears. Together, they explored the power of self-awareness and discussed how our perceptions shape self-esteem. 🧠✨ A big thank you to BEARS CARE and the amazing players who continuously dedicate their time to uplifting and inspiring students across Chicago! Let’s hear it for The Bears! 🐻🏈 🧡💙 #BearsCare #WOWWednesday #ChicagoBears #StudentEmpowerment #SelfAwareness #GoBears