BYMOC Strategy

The Gateway Region YMCA's Boys and Young Men of Color (BYMOC) strategy builds on, and invests in, pathways to success to help boys and young men of color reach their full potential.
 

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Ensuring Equitable Outcomes

The BYMOC Strategy ensures equitable outcomes for boys and young men of color ages 11-17 by removing systemic barriers, providing relevant services and support systems, and creating nurturing environments that promote confidence and growth.

BYMOC Implementation

The BYMOC Strategy is designed for flexible implementation through policies, practices, and programs can be defined by the needs of each community and Y, including the following areas.

 

- Impact their attitudes toward education
- Empower them to believe in their capabilities
- Prepare them with skills to achieve academic success

- Create pipelines to connect them with post-secondary education and meaningful jobs
- Provide work-based learning experiences, financial education, skills development, career and college planning and resource navigation opportunities

- Create experiences and environments that strengthen social-emotional competencies
- Support character development across the Y's core values of honesty, caring, respect, and responsibility

- Help them build healthy relationships with peers and adults
- Foster their positive cultural- and self-identity
- Support opportunities for community connections and civic engagement

- Help them develop healthy physical and eating habits
- Teach them about lifestyle changes that can prevent chronic conditions in adulthood such as diabetes and heart disease
- Combat their experiences with food insecurity

BYMOC Strategy Goals

By 2025, the BYMOC Strategy seeks to achieve the following outcomes for 10,000 boys and young men of color across 100 cities across the U.S.:
 

► 70% of participants

will access high-quality, nurturing, and more culturally responsive neighborhood environments


► 75% of participants

will have stabilized and improved grades by reducing suspensions and improving school attendance

► 100% of participants

will have completed pre- and post-assessment for social-emotional learning


► 75% of participants

will access high quality post-secondary and career-ready pathways

 

 

YMCA Achievers Program

The Gateway Region YMCA Achievers is a bi-state college readiness, career exploration, and life preparation program which provides students of color with the essential tools to pursue higher education, define life goals, and identify different career opportunities.
 

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