Youth Development
We operate a progressive series of afterschool and summer programs in which young people in grades K-12 from surrounding Pittsburgh neighborhoods grow academically, relationally, and spiritually, and become prepared to transform culture and to serve neighbors. These Youth Development programs prepare servant leaders for the future of the city and the Church. By “servant leaders,” we mean people who take on a Christ-like leadership style which emphasizes trust, empathy, and service to others, rather than making a “me first,” hard-nosed, grab for power. Servant leaders lead from positions of strength that are rooted in and marked by:
- ACADEMIC SUCCESS
- HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS with adults and peers
- A GROWING FAITH in Jesus Christ
- TRANSFORMATION of the culture around them
- SERVICE to others
This work is influenced by longitudinal studies performed by Search Institute, which found that of over 1,000,000 teenagers, those who had more foundational building blocks in their lives were significantly more likely to exhibit positive behavior. We provide and nurture 25 of Search’s 40 foundational building blocks, so that young people move from risk and instability to positions of resourcefulness and strength. As leaders are developed, our neighborhood becomes a center of life, joy, and peace, and we see glimpses of God’s kingdom in our city.