Our Youth, Our Future

"I enjoy coming to CERI youth programs because I feel like I've made a family and we've made a community where I've felt safe to talk about my feelings." ~ CERI Youth

Our youth programs offer safe, supportive space for young people to explore wellness, creative expression and art, develop leadership, public speaking, and community organizing skills, and advocate for social justice. The purpose of our youth programs is to promote resiliency, help youth develop their full potentials, and train our future leaders. 

We started youth programs in 2008 and today we see many of those first young people who we worked with as thriving adults. One of our elders recently shared, “My youngest daughter participated in the first youth program at CERI. I had such a hard time with her. Luckily, with much support, she stayed with the program and was able to graduate from high school. She got a certificate as a medical assistant and was able to get a good job at a local hospital. She is now preparing herself to go back to school and study nursing.” 

With CERI’s holistic wraparound services (that include individual and group counseling, case management, mentoring, job readiness, and other support services), at-promise youth and young adults receive the support needed to work towards their goals and address intersectional issues in their lives, including mental health, poverty, and racism.

In the last year, our Youth Services Team doubled in size and facilitated multiple programs that engaged children, youths, and Transitional Aged Youths in mural making and poetry, social and environmental justice, climate education, COVID prevention and safety, intergenerational learning, leadership, and academic support. At present, we have two main youth programs:

• Southeast Asians Mobilize for Equity (SEA-ME), our youth social justice and systems change prevention program that provides opportunities for young people ages 12-18 years old to gain leadership training, practice advocacy skills, and receive recognition when they “speak out” on social justice issues.

• Environmental Justice & Green Careers, a program to promote opportunities for Transitional Aged Youths, ages 17 - 26, to engage with nature and learn about green jobs and careers that can serve as a stepping stone to meaningful employment.

Our next goal is to build our Wellness and Enrichment program for which we do not have dedicated funding. While we have leadership, advocacy and workforce development opportunities for our teens and Transitional Aged Youth, our hope is to strengthen culturally and developmentally appropriate support for socio-emotional learning, mental/behavioral health, cultural enrichment, and academic support for all our youths and especially our children ages 5-12.

As we enter the season of giving, we are asking our community to help us develop our Youth Wellness and Enrichment program. We hope you will consider contributing to this work!

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