Mission

YOUTH COMMUNICATION ELEVATES TEEN VOICES TO CREATE REAL CHANGE. THROUGH THE POWER OF TRUE STORIES, WRITTEN BY YOUTH WHO HAVE BEEN SYSTEMICALLY MARGINALIZED, WE CREATE MORE SUPPORTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL LEARNING COMMUNITIES. YOUTH COMMUNICATION'S VISION IS TO CREATE A MORE EMPATHIC WORLD FOR AND WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SO THEY FEEL REPRESENTED, HEARD, AND SUPPORTED TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. YOUTH COMMUNICATION PROMOTES THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF ADOLESCENTS, ESPECIALLY YOUTH OF COLOR FROM LOWER-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHO FACE EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER INEQUITIES. OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND STORY-BASED CURRICULA HELP EDUCATORS CREATE SETTINGS WHICH BOLSTER TEENS' SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) AND LITERACY SKILLS. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH LINKS SEL SKILLS TO INCREASED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH, STRENGTHENED SOCIAL SKILLS, AND RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING. WE BASE THESE ACTIVITIES ON A YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK WE HAVE CULTIVATED SINCE 1980,