Youth Matters Initiative

For many years, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) and its community of donors have invested in programs and organizations that promote the positive development, health, and safety of youth in Hawai‘i. Now, faced with the undeniable fact that – on the whole – youth in Hawai‘i are not better off than a decade ago and are lagging behind the national average in some significant aspects of health and academic achievement, HCF believes that really succeeding on behalf of youth in Hawai‘i requires a different and bolder approach.

In 2007, HCF, with funding support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, committed to a new initiative aimed at making positive impact in the systems that affect vulnerable youth in Hawaii. Capitalizing upon funding and support HCF has historically provided for a variety of youth services, the Youth Matters Initiative aims to elevate this work by more intentionally seeking out partnerships and collaboration within and outside the field of youth development programs in Hawaii.

Youth Matters Initiative’s key strategies include:

• Convening a group of youth development organizations from across the state to form the Youth Matters Network. The goal of the Network is to create and strengthen relationships between innovative youth serving organizations and create a venue for these organizations to better understand their individual practices and learn from their collective experiences.

• Leading efforts to develop research and tools that will strengthen the youth development field and create a platform for large scale meaningful impact around youth in Hawai‘i.

• Developing partnerships beyond the youth development field, both locally and nationally, to inform our work with existing networks and to leverage efforts that support the successful transition of youth to adulthood.

View Youth Matters network members »

View Youth Matters network grantees »

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