Inspire Youth Connections Program
Inspire Youth Connections partners with youth, youth-serving professionals, policy-makers, and community members with the vision of creating a community of resilient school-age children, teens, and young adults who are valued, respected, and supported by the communities in which they live, learn, work, and play. Our roadmap for building mental health and well-being among Boulder County adolescents and youth outlines this vision.
Goals
- Promote positive relationships between youth and caring adults
- Create a coordinated, informed youth service system
- Improve equity for all youth in Boulder County
- Connect youth and adults that serve youth to the resources they need
- Ensure that youth voices are heard, validated, and respected
Strategies
- Promote and implement the principles of Positive Youth Development throughout all systems that reach youth.
- Encourage adult “upstanders” who are willing to act on behalf of youth.
- Advocate for school and community policies that ensure safe, inclusive, and healthy environments for youth.
- Provide technical assistance around a menu of evidence-based programs addressing youth protective and risk factors (including the Sources of Strength suicide prevention initiative)
- Ensure that points of contact with youth (e.g., physicians, coaches, teachers, etc.) are prepared to recognize signs of concern or crisis and respond appropriately.
- Build community-wide cultural responsiveness and inclusion across the vast diversity of youth.
- Work toward strategic coordination of youth-serving agencies in Boulder County.
- Work on identifying, discussing, and addressing gaps in the equity of youth in Boulder County.
- Training community members on Youth Mental Health First Aid.
- Hiring, supporting, and collaborating with youth advisors.
- Managing a calendar for Boulder County youth events that provides a centralized online platform to learn about these events happening and share event opportunities
