Major Initiatives
In addition to our capacity-building work, YMC provides key resources and training that directly supports the ecosystem of youth leaders across the Carolinas, including:
The annual Champions of Mentoring Awards Ceremony & Reception brings together mentoring and youth-serving professionals to celebrate National Mentoring Month, and to honor individuals and organizations for their unwavering dedication to the mentoring movement.
Healing-Centered Mentoring™ (HCM) is a framework that will build the capacity of mentoring organizations to increase the number of youth receiving evidence-based mental health services through mentoring, simultaneously reducing the burden on existing systems of care, and reducing the barriers to mental health services, particularly for BIPOC youth.
Throughout the course of the Fellowship, participants receive coaching to apply HCM skills within their organization or program; a stipend to compensate practitioners for their commitment to the HCM cohort; access and training on utilizing technology to support youth mental health outcomes; and peer learning opportunities with supportive and accountable professionals.
The Youth Mentoring Legislative Day is a unique opportunity to convene legislators, youth-serving programs, and young people at the NC General Assembly to highlight and celebrate the power of mentoring relationships. Youth attendees speak directly with legislators to discuss the importance of mentoring and ways legislators can deepen their connections with local programs.
The Summer Social Justice Academy is an intensive three-week paid hybrid summer experience for youth to explore how to respond to some of society’s most pressing issues impacting them, including mental health, access to high-quality education, contact with the criminal justice system, and economic opportunities.
YMC selects up to twenty-five (25) youth applicants to join the program, who do the following:
- Receive a $250.00 stipend
- Engage in peer learning and group projects
- Learn about the rich history of youth civic engagement in NC
- Meet social justice advocates from across the state
- Complete a project throughout the program that showcases learning objectives; this project will be used to support nonprofit programs in the Triangle
- Gain an in-depth understanding of the mentoring movement in the Carolinas and beyond
The Carolinas Youth Mentoring Symposium is an annual gathering that brings together people of all ages interested in exploring how to uplift and improve mentoring initiatives. Youth attendees engage in interactive learning opportunities that support strengthening their connections.
The Outstanding Youth Leaders of the Year Scholarship award is a $20,000 scholarship that is awarded annually to three prospective college students who demonstrate success within their respective mentoring programs.
How We Achieve Our Mission
Youth POWER
We uphold youth as architects of their own lives and partners in the creation of a more equitable and just society.
- Collaborate with youth leaders to develop YMC initiatives, partnerships, programs, and content
- Provide key resources and training that directly support the ecosystem of youth leaders across the Carolinas
- Provide quality consultation and guidance to organizations that want to develop their capacity for youth leadership intentionally
Increase Awareness
We lead public awareness campaigns to increase the general public’s knowledge of the need for mentoring.
- Regularly collect data to identify gaps and share findings to increase understanding of the impact of and need for mentoring
- Convene local mentoring providers, and promote networking, collaboration, and shared learning
- Lead public awareness campaigns to increase the general public’s knowledge of the need for high-quality mentoring
Build Capacity
We enable a range of organizations to start, manage, and expand high-quality mentoring initiatives to meet the local demand.
- Enable a range of organizations to start, manage, and expand mentoring initiatives to meet the local demand
- Provide ongoing training and consulting to ensure quality standards in all mentoring efforts
- Support the recruitment of mentors to significantly increase the number of youth in quality mentoring relationships
Increase Engagement
We identify ways to leverage or increase human, financial, or in-kind investments in mentoring initiatives.
- Help local systems integrate mentoring as an evidence-based intervention proven to maximize impact in a range of outcome areas
- Identify ways to leverage or increase human, financial, or in-kind investments in mentoring initiatives
- Advocate for legislation, policies, and public funding streams to support the mentoring movement
Our Vision
Through healthy youth-adult relationships, mentoring has the power to disrupt the status quo and build a safer, smarter, and more socially conscious world.
Our Values
No one wants to be a part of an organization where values are just words–that is why we do it for the culture at Youth Mentoring Collaborative!
At YMC, we play off of each other's vibes with the goal of bringing out the best in one another, and we carry that same attitude into our work with partners. We believe that through genuine connections, we can do meaningful work, be ourselves, and have fun, all while doing our part in building a more just and equitable society. Our commitment to the values of collaboration, relationships, growth, courage, and joy all reflect a deep aspiration to normalize a work culture that is safe, both physically and psychologically.
Collaboration
- We believe working well with others is essential to building a more just and equitable society.
- We believe that the best decisions are made when those impacted are included in the conversation.
- We will take the time necessary to be thoughtful about who we partner with and why.
Relationships
- We choose to cultivate and maintain healthy, mutually beneficial relationships.
- We will take an active role in being helpful to others and strive to do no harm.
- We believe that compassion and empathy for one another are necessary for our collective survival.
Growth
- We choose to be conscious and guided by the most precise understandings that we are capable of through continuous learning.
- We are willing to put in work for knowledge.
- We embrace lessons that come from falling and getting back up.
Courage
- We will honor ourselves and others by showing up authentically.
- We will do what we believe is right, even if it means taking an unpopular stance or facing criticism from others.
- We will take risks and be bold.
Joy
- We believe fulfillment and happiness come from doing work that matters in ways that center on human dignity.
As we continue to grow as an organization, it has become more important to explicitly define how we develop our culture, brand, and strategies. We strive to embody our Mission, Vision, and Values in all we do.
Our Guiding Principles
Learn more about what we believe and how that drives our organizational behavior.
Our gift acceptance policy
We strive to be authentic in our solicitation and acceptance of gifts. Learn more about our overall philosophy for receiving donations.
News & Events
Follow along with our current affairs, including guides, conversations, op-eds, and other news on our blog.