Youth Empowerment

THE STREETS DON'T LOVE YOU BACK

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

We are committed to helping youth reach their highest potential through a variety of life-transforming programs.

TSDLYB Youth Empowerment Program is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They do this by addressing their situation and then take action in order to improve their life and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and attitudes.

TSDLYB Youth empowerment aims to improve quality of life.

TSDLYB Youth Empowerment Program focuses on processes that enable participation; enhance control through shared decision making; and create opportunities to learn, practice, and increase skills.

Our Youth empowerment program is aimed at creating healthier and higher qualities of life for underprivileged, minority or at-risk youth.

The five competencies of a healthy youth are: positive sense of self, self-control, decision-making skills, a moral system of belief, and prosocial connectedness.

Through these dimensions of empowerment, our programs can work on empowering youth in one or more aspects of their lives. Psychological empowerment enhances individual's consciousness, belief in self-efficacy, awareness, and knowledge of problems and solutions and of how individuals can address problems that harm their quality of life. This dimension aims to create self-confidence and give youth the skills to acquire knowledge.

Community empowerment focuses on enhancing the community through leadership development, improving communication, and creating a network of support to mobilize the community to address concerns.

Organizational empowerment aims to create a base of resources for a community, including voluntary organizations, unions and association that aim to protect, promote and advocate for the powerless.

Economic empowerment teaches entrepreneurial skills, how to take ownership of their assets and how to have income security.

Social empowerment teaches youth about social inclusion and literacy as well as helping kids find the resources to be proactive in their communities.

Cultural empowerment aims to recreate cultural practices and redefine cultural rules and norms for youth.

Our empowerment theory focuses on processes that enable participation; enhance control through shared decision making; and create opportunities to learn, practice, and increase skills. Empowerment theory suggests that engaging youth in prosocial, meaningful, and community-enhancing activities that the youth themselves define and control, helps youth gain vital skills, responsibilities, and confidence necessary to become productive and healthy adults Youth empowerment programs thrive in positive developmental settings. Positive developmental settings promote youth competence, confidence and connections. Two features of the positive developmental youth settings are supportive relationships and support for efficacy and mattering. Supportive relationships are those that are between youth and non-familial adults that foster trust and respect. Support for efficacy and mattering specifically focuses on youth being active, instrumental agents of change in their communities, collective decision-making and adults listen to and respect their voice.

The beneficial outcomes to youth empowerment programs are improved social skills, improved behavior, increased academic achievement, increased self-esteem and increased self-efficacy. When youth participate in established empowerment programs they see a variety of benefits. The practices of youth involvement and empowerment become embedded within the organizational culture and the community culture. Adults and organizations also benefit from empowerment programs. They both become more connected and responsive to youth in the community, which leads to program improvements as well as increased participation from youth.

FEEDING THE HOMELESS WITH OUR YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

Check out a few of the responses of those who took the Lifeskills classes.

This is a very powerful course, I learned that I can committ myself to change but I have to work at it consistantly one day at a time, that working on myself it will empower me to be able to help others by being a positive change.~Leonard~

I learned so very much for which I can say that all my tomorrows are prepared in my todays. Most importantly to be on my path to victory, turn tragedy into triumph.~Joy~

I learned that I can trust my dreams and inner strength to accomplish everything I set out to do. I also learned that I have weaknesses that I can learn to overcome.~Cynthia~

This course offered many practical applicatioms to life and success. I learned a deeper perspective into things I thought I knew. I feel a renewed sense of confidence and aspiration.~Leon~

This course helped me to not just look at, but rethink my perspective on change and on self esteem. This helped me take a closer look at the things I have neglected or tried to deny.~Jefferick~

I learned to be patient, everything takes time, but to remain positive and to love myself.~Tori~

I learned to take time for me, to be in touch with my inner self. It helped me to look at life in a more positive way and to realise that behind every adversity, there is a lesson and a blessing. Thank you Mrs. Boyd for this Lifeskills Book. I vow to teach what I have learned and to demonstrate it as well through my walk in life.~Shannon~

I learned to believe in myself.~Sonny~

This helped me to open my eyes and learn how to better myself.~Marshall~

This course helped me to open my eyes to see the real me. I found out that I have a long way to go and alot of work to do. This course has given me the strength, confidence and understanding on how I can truly succeed in my life. It taught me so much that I will keep with me for the rest of my life.~Sterling~
WOW! I learned a lot, Weekly I open this up and meditate on some of the teachings. It is knowledge to grow from and helps me learn how to solve problems.~Gary~

So much! How to handle my anger and think before I make decisions. This book was good :) Do you have any other courses, I would love to take them. ~Jim~

That there are many different aspects of addiction. I want to continue learning more about addiction. ~Kendall~

I learned to think more about my weaknesses and how to do better at improving my behavior. ~Maria~

This course offered many practical applications to life and success. The "problem solving", "self-improvement", "smart goal setting" were very informative. These skills will work as fine tuning to my natural approach to life's hardships. Even more, I've learned deeper perspectives about subjects "I thought I knew" I feel a renewed sense of confidence and aspiration. Most important, all the main solutions lie in me. ~Diana~

This course reinforces much of other self-help groups. To think differently and be successful upon my release from prison. ~Shawn~

I got a lot out of this course, a lot of understanding about myself. ~Melissa~

I learned how to control my anger and that if I keep a negative attitude, negative things will follow me. Using an anger log is more helpful than just holding anger in. ~Lonnie~

I am working on controlling my anger, getting help for my alcohol addiction. Iv’e learned how to handle my mistakes in a more positive way and identify making good decisions. ~Julia~

I learned that I can trust my dreams and inner strength to accomplish everything I set out to do. I also learned that I have weaknesses that I can learn to overcome, each and everyone of them. ~Cheryl~

I learned that I’m on the right track to obtain my goals. Although, I do have a slight bit of anger that comes from my past that I have to conquer. I’ve also learned that I’m a much better person than I give myself credit for.~Allen~