Project Hearts Youth Empowerment Program Celebrates First Graduates
A groundbreaking initiative in community leadership development achieves its first milestone
The Youth Empowerment Program (YEP!) recently celebrated a significant achievement with the graduation of its inaugural group of participants. Led by program coordinator Yralma, this 10-week initiative covered essential topics including leadership, future planning, adolescent health, healthy relationships, and domestic violence prevention.
"It's been so exciting for me to see all this happening - this has been a dream of mine for years now, and I'm so grateful to you for helping to make this program a reality!" — Marissa Doiron, Executive Director
Program Highlights
Originally planned for implementation in local schools, the program coordinator chose to first work with a church youth group, creating such a strong connection that she has decided to continue co-leading the group beyond the program's conclusion.
The curriculum, which ran from January 18th through March, was complemented by community-building activities including:
A volunteer-hosted game night at a local basketball court with a spaghetti dinner
A Valentine's Day party organized by the youth participants for their church
A graduation celebration with certificates that participants proudly shared on social media
Measuring Success
To evaluate the program's effectiveness, participants completed a final assessment covering all topic areas. Their responses demonstrated a thorough understanding of the core concepts, with each participant providing unique insights that reflected genuine engagement with the material.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive:
They appreciated the dynamic teaching approach that encouraged analysis and discussion
They gave their instructor, Yralma, a perfect 10/10 rating
They recommended continuing the program with the same leadership
They suggested incorporating more activities to attract additional youth participants
Looking Forward
When asked about their hopes for the future, participants shared aspirations focused on helping others, following their faith, and building families. Specific dreams included becoming professionals such as psychologists and lawyers, building homes for family members, and exploring the world.
The next YEP! cohort is scheduled to begin on April 4th at a local high school, with plans to include motivational elements and a graduation celebration tailored to the school environment.
The Youth Empowerment Program is one of many initiatives supported by GRACE Cares to develop local leadership and create sustainable change in communities worldwide.