Staff aims to understand youth as unique individuals with unique sets of circumstances, needs, and opportunities.

Organization prioritizes youth’s basic needs – shelter, food, and physical and emotional safety – before program goals.

Strength-based, nonviolent language is used when talking about youth (e.g. absence of “at-risk,” “in the field” or “on the frontline.”)

Staff recognizes warning signs or obstacles in the way of youth’s growth or ability to access support and help to remove them.

Organization addresses systemic barriers to youth development (e.g. advocates for policy/culture changes; convenes community trainings or conversations about broad issues).

Organization takes an inclusive mind-body-spirit approach supporting youth in developing an awareness of their mind-body connections as well as their individual connectedness to the greater whole.