January 24, 2023 (INDIANAPOLIS, IN) – We are thrilled to announce a $20 million investment to help youth development professionals who implement programs that support the educational, social, emotional, and physical development of Indiana youth (ages 5-18). Funding for the Indiana Youth Worker Well-Being Project is made possible through a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant to a coalition of youth-serving intermediaries, including the Indiana Afterschool Network (IAN), IARCA Institute for Excellence (IARCA Institute), Indiana Youth Services Association (IYSA), Indiana Youth Institute (IYI), and Marion County Commission On Youth (MCCOY).
During the next four years, the youth coalition will lead the comprehensive statewide effort that will focus on the following six strategies to improve the lives of youth workers so they can more effectively work with Indiana youth:
• Increase access to virtual (or telehealth) services, including mental health counseling and short-term financial consultation.
• Facilitate peer learning groups to provide opportunities for youth workers to share experiences and support one another.
• Launch an emerging leaders of color professional development series to help diversify leadership at youth-serving organizations.
• Convene leaders of youth-serving organizations (virtually and in-person) to provide information on how to improve working conditions and business practices to improve youth-worker well-being.
• Provide opportunities for youth-serving organizations to apply for funding to pilot and/or implement customized strategies that improve diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) within their organizations.
• Support youth workers exposed to trauma (directly and indirectly).
Click here to read the full press release. We look forward to continuing our support for out-of-school time programming in Indiana.
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In the Spotlight
Indiana Business Journal: “Lilly Endowment provides $20M grant to help youth-support workers”
Inside INdiana Business: “New program to support youth development professionals”
WFYI Indianapolis: “Youth workers need mental health resources. A $20M grant aims to help”
