OUR YOUTHSTRONG LEADERSHIP WORK

Youth in our communities are struggling with increasing rates of depression, substance use, and risk of suicide. Our Community Foundation’s YouthStrong initiative is working to make a difference by empowering youth to build resilience and navigate these challenges. We collaborate with nonprofit partners to identify the highest needs and gaps in services for youth. In our increasingly digital world, social media and internet use have proven to have significant negative impacts on our youths’ mental health and well-being. YouthStrong partners with parents, schools, and communities to develop public education and awareness campaigns to help youth develop healthy tech habits and safely navigate the digital world.

Education and Public Awareness Campaigns

A current area of focus for our Community Foundation is the mental health and well-being of young people. Heads Up, Phones Down provides information and resources for our community to foster healthier social media and technology habits that promote more face-to-face interactions and better mental health.

Funding Research

Seed funding from our Community Foundation helped launch the Social Worlds and Youth Well-Being study to address suicide prevention in middle and high schools. The study’s findings and recommendations are now available to equip schools and communities with resources to develop sustainable suicide prevention strategies.

Key Community Recommendations from the Mesa County Study

1. Increase out-of-school activities for youth and transportation options so that all youth can access abundant outdoor recreation.
2. Reduce mental health stigma as a barrier for youth and families to seek help.
3. Enlist the faith community in mental health promotion and suicide prevention.
4. Minimize the risk and increase training and support at suicide hotspots.

Supporting Youth-Serving Organizations

Our expertise in youth behavioral health allows us to guide donors and partner foundations toward impactful investments. We share knowledge on challenges, trends, and best practices in youth substance abuse, suicide prevention, and the growing issue of the impact of social media on youths’ mental health.

We offer comprehensive technical assistance to organizations focused on these issues to help improve best practices, implement effective strategies, and foster collaboration for greater impact. Through these efforts, we help ensure that youth-serving organizations have the resources and knowledge to achieve concrete results and measurable outcomes.

We are proud to partner with a diverse range of organizations from across our seven counties that mentor and empower youth to thrive in our communities.