They are the forgotten children of poverty, neglect and abuse, born into a hostile reality that is unimaginable to most of us. They are trapped by lack of education, surrounded with crime. They are demoralized by emotional and mental trauma, victimized by sexual deviance, violence and human trafficking. Or they are the distressed young people from good homes who have lost their way because of psychological anguish, addiction or unwise decisions.
Youth Opportunity Foundation is dedicated to the truth: The fate of these children is not cast at birth, nor dictated by mistakes. All children deserve a chance, a right to security and safety. Adolescent mental health, addiction, victimization, and behavioral challenges should not be life sentences. Through innovative therapies, advocacy, education and workforce development, we can break this tragic cycle of lives lost before they start.
We are writing new endings to the same old story, endings that ripple through communities as children break free of their prisons of hopelessness to become ambassadors of independence, emissaries for the rewards of work, and representatives of the possibilities for all. Dramatic change is possible through the transformative power of individual resolve and personal accountability. Their journey begins with treatment and opportunity.
Opportunity Means Connection. Connection Means Community.
We speak for the children who have no voice. In legal, educational, and medical challenges, at-risk young people sometimes just need someone to understand them, take their side, and help them find the right road. We listen. Then we connect our clients and their families with organizations that can guide their journey to physical and mental health, and to the gratifying successes that are possible with guidance.
70% of all children in the juvenile justice or psychiatric treatment systems have diagnosable mental health or substance abuse issues. Many have physical challenges. Many are under-educated. While at-risk children share many characteristics, each of them has individual requirements for treatment and rehabilitation. We partner with innovative professional organizations to fund medical and psychiatric treatment, and applied research.
Many available jobs require postsecondary education. Future jobs in evolving industries will require specialized training. In conjunction with educational institutions, we provide grants, support, and mentoring for young people to finish high school and pursue the education or training that will give them a head start in life. Enlightenment is contagious; knowledge seeks to expand. Once on the road to success, a young person can journey anywhere.
Employers need reliable dedicated employees. Sometimes a second chance leads to extraordinary motivation and focus. And there will always be a need for the "non-transferrable", locally based, service-oriented jobs in construction, repair, and maintenance. Imagine young entrepreneurs improving their communities with skilled service businesses. This is the ripple effect we work to begin; the partnerships we seek to cultivate.