Jonathan John is the founder and Executive Director of Youth Rising Above. His background will make you feel like you need to do more to nurture future leaders and will inspire compassion in you that you didn’t know you had. At least that’s what it did to us. We are grateful for people like Jonathan John.
This organization seemed unique to us. We had to know more.
Youth Rising Above (YRA) is an inclusive and supportive space where youth can access experiences focused on leadership development, mental health, and learning through educational and physical experiences that would otherwise be difficult to access based on their life barriers.
“This focus on establishing transformative relationships with young people, built around values of love, support and encouragement are gaps that we saw existing within youth development programs, we wanted to contribute towards creating a more holistic and enriching experience for youth, and so Youth Rising Above was formed.“
WholeHearted is a few things to many people. We support organizations in their initiatives to have better workplaces, we help companies develop plans to improve their employee promoter scores, and we connect leaders with organizations where their expertise can be utilized for good.
The reality is that there are a gazillion ways for corporations to support and strengthen a more inclusive and equitable society. Let us be clear. It is not a sole responsibility – everyone needs to contribute. Everyone can benefit from being selfless, from being selfish at times, from being compassionate, and empathetic. Those of us who are more fortunate can take a few minutes to look at things through a lesser-privileged lens.
Without going into great detail, here are a couple of things you can do to support YRA – either individually, or through your corporate social responsibility planning:
- Develop an ongoing program with them that’s unique (ask us about our BOGO program!)
- Donate your skills and expertise to the organization (read: are you an HR consultant? Can you consult on a 3 year HR strategic plan for the organization?)
- Apply to participate in their GoTheDistance mentorship program
- Donate – either in a one-time sum, or on a regular, recurring basis
On working with other skilled youth leaders, Jonathan says “it keeps our ideas fresh and innovative, helps us take the most informed approach to service delivery, and aids in propelling us forward year after year.”
Together, we can make tiny changes to the quality of people’s lives. Please join us following along with YRA, and please keep them in mind next time someone shows up asking how they can make a real difference in their own backyard.
“Knowing we are there, listening, supporting and walking alongside youth for just a brief moment in their life journeys is a feeling indescribable, but something we are so grateful to be a part of.” – Jonathan John