What We Do

Youth Creating Change places young people’s voices and creativity at the center of suicide prevention and mental health programming.

When youth are at the center of their own well-being, change can happen. When adults are inspired to listen, youth feel seen and heard. When schools and communities have the training and tools they need to facilitate healing and belonging through creative expression, safe spaces where young people can reach out for help emerge.

Why We Do It

Youth Creating Change is about helping young people work through personal stories of loss, creating stories of hope, and changing the story of a young person who is thinking about suicide.

Participating in this contest made me realize that even the smallest voices can speak out for change. I am very shy, but this program has given me a voice I can’t usually vocalize. I am glad I was able to create art that can speak for others.”

– Participant

I want to reach out and share with you that your video presentation in our English classes saved a life today. A student had a plan and was ready to act on that plan. They saw the video in class yesterday and learned about the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline/988. They said that they did not know about that resource prior to the presentations. The student was really struggling this morning and called the Lifeline. They were able to encourage the student to go to school and talk to someone – which they did. After a risk assessment and determining the student had a plan and a means, I transported the student to our behavioral health crisis center and did a warm handoff. Thank you so much for all you have done for our school. I appreciate all the countless hours you have spent providing support, developing the video for our students, debriefing our staff, and doing the parent presentation.

– Teacher

We spent a lot of time in my class going over the curriculum and talking about mental illness and suicide prevention as we prepared out submissions for the Directing Change program. I later learned that one student participant noticed warning signs in a friend and talked to a trusted adult. The student said that everything she had learned on her Directing Change project came rushing back to her and she knew was she had to do when something didn’t feel right on a phone call with her friend. The friend ended up being rushed to the hospital and received help. I can honestly say that the Directing Change program was the most important and valuable curriculum we studied all year.

– Teacher

Featured Art

Featured Film

Our Partners

We couldn’t grow without our partnership with county behavioral health agencies, county offices of education, community-based organizations and many other partners. To learn more how you can bring the program to more young people in your county and community, please connect with us to explore opportunities for collaboration.

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Download Resources

Download our Mental Health Thrival Kits, activity guides and resources for Suicide Prevention Week, Mental Health Matters month, to share with parents and more.

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How to Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved with Youth Creating Change including joining our youth council, volunteering as a judge for our film or art contests, sponsoring a monthly prompt, using the youth-created films and art pieces to raise awareness, and partnering with us to bring the program to more schools and organizations.

I want to become a judge for the art or film contest.

I am looking for PSAs to share on social media, TV, at a movie theater or during a presentation.

I am interested in getting involved with the Youth Council.

I want to sponsor a monthly prompt.

I would like to sign up for the monthly newsletter.