Commitment to Youth

Youth Development

North Carolina’s YMCAs are committed to building the resilience of North Carolina youth, contributing to our state’s whole child objectives.

Our YMCAs integrate character development and social-emotional learning principles into all youth programming, from youth sports to day camp, to afterschool to overnight camp. With funding provided by the state legislature, Ys will begin work on teen mental health in 2024, with the goal to destigmatize mental health and connect youth struggling with mental health and their families with resources that can support them.

NC Ys also provide mentoring programs for teens such as Y Achievers, where adult mentors guide students of color through experiences that create pathways for success after high school. Civic engagement, community service projects and academic enhancement programs with positive adult role models support teens in their growth.

Leadership: NC YMCAs provide a wide variety of leadership opportunities for teens as well, such as the Leaders Program, Youth & Government and Y Achievers.

Child Protection

The safety and well-being of children in the care of Ys across North Carolina and the country is, and always will be, our top priority.

As a youth-serving organization that reaches 8 million children and teens every year, the Y’s most important work is creating safe environments for young people. That any child or teen would experience harm in our care is unacceptable. Ensuring the safety and well-being of young people is foundational to everything we do at the Y to help them learn, grow and thrive.

When adults collectively understand the risks and red flags of child sexual abuse, we can do more to keep kids safe. We all have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of young people, no matter our role at the Y. When we all take action, abuse is preventable.

Protecting Kids

students at Youth and Government Conference 2023

Youth Advocates Learn and Lead

Youth Development

“In a world that currently feels divisive and politically polarizing, the Y is preparing tomorrow’s civic leaders to respectfully collaborate in powerful solutions-focused conversations through the

Y staff helping students in afterschool program

Data Shows Students Grow Critical Skills at YMCA Afterschool Programs

Youth Development

North Carolina YMCAs are helping students build relationship skills and manage their emotions, which improves academic performance, confidence and behavior in the classroom and beyond.

wilson middle schoolers at the site of the new Foundation YMCA during Construction Academy Program

Y Construction Academy Provides Unique Learning for Wilson Middle Schoolers

Youth Development

When the new Foundation YMCA opens in Wilson late this summer, a group of middle schoolers will know they played a role in designing spaces for their peers.

children together wearing masks at the Y

Youth Development: Professional Development Around SEL

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Recognizing that the Y is largest nonprofit serving kids in the out of school time space, the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI) asked the NC Alliance of YMCAs to apply for CDC Healthy Schools funding funneled to the state for character development and social emotional learning (SEL).

picture of two little girls at Camp Noah

Building Resilience for Children - and Y Staff- at Camp Noah

Youth Development

More than 30 children attended Camp Noah at the New River YMCA in Jacksonville for five days this past summer. It was just five days, but the Y staff believe that time was life-changing for the children in their care, and they know it was for themselves.

Should Kids Go to Camp This Summer? Doctors Say “Yes!”

Summer Day Camp

Researchers at Duke Health, Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian studied YMCA of the Triangle summer day camps last year where COVID-19 safety protocols were strictly enforced, including masking, distancing and hand-washing.

May Is Water Safety Month at the Y!

Swim

As communities return to “normal,” this summer following the Coronavirus pandemic, water safety should be top of mind. NC YMCAs want to ensure that water safety doesn’t get lost in our state's eagerness to return to a “normal” summer. As temperatures rise, kids want to cool off, whether that is in home pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, or oceans.

YMCA of Western NC Delivers 1 Million Healthy Meals

Nutrition

The YMCA of Western North Carolina has marked an impressive yet sobering milestone by serving more than 1 million healthy, nutritious meals to kids in need since 2013.

Lexington YMCA Serves Homeless Students in Remote Learning Program

COVID-19

While schools in Davidson County remain closed for in-person instruction, the E-Learning Academy at the J. Smith Young YMCA in Lexington is living its mission in an important way for seven homeless students from three families.