|
|
By Denise Holcomb
Removing the Stigma seeks youth-focused organizations, individuals, businesses, and volunteers to support our Youth Life CLE Readiness program.
In the summer of 2024, we launched the Youth Life CLE Awareness and Prevention program to promote the removal of stigma around suicide and create a safe environment for youth to connect with peers, parents, and supporters. The program also identifies resources for ongoing help and support.
This initiative focuses on highly vulnerable African American youth and families. Our YLC youth-focused community awareness project highlights how suicide is viewed in terms of race, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, age, and media influences. The program equips youth with resilience, hope, independence, connection, wellness, and healthy thinking through the arts, training, conversations, volunteering, and resources.
The Youth Life CLE Adult Readiness program (YLCAR) addresses barriers that might lead to suicidal thoughts among youth, such as poverty, low self-esteem, teen pregnancies, toxic relationships, financial literacy, incompetent guardianship, employment readiness, housing preparation, higher education, self-employment, stress management, and medical and healthcare access.
Removing the Stigma’s YLC program collaborates with peers, experts, and other organizations within Cuyahoga County and neighboring counties. This approach offers youth and their families additional resources and learning opportunities while addressing their needs and decreasing barriers that can lead to suicide.
The YLCAR program will use the same approach, bringing in experts and resources to end the dependence of parents-in-need of government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage. It incorporates addressing barriers and learned behavior that lead to out-of-wedlock pregnancies, while establishing goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of pregnancies and encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
For more information or if you’re interested in collaborating, contact our Executive Director, Denise Holcomb, at [email protected] or call our office at 216-325-7755.
