Healthy Relationship Program

Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC) firmly believes that the success sequence is a critical part of a young person's future. Sociologically, a student who voluntarily delays sexual activity in order to graduate from high school (or college), obtain a full-time job, get married, and then start their family experiences a myriad of life benefits for their partner and children. Self-esteem, economic mobility, family stability, mental health, physical well-being, career success, and quality relationships all increase markedly. Similarly, risks of incarceration, depression, suicide, divorce, poverty, mental health challenges, and physical illness all drop proportionately.

Since 2022, UYC has received federal funding to teach healthy relationship education in public school and community-based settings to over 1,500 students. In 2025 alone, UYC will serve 1,000 students in San Diego, CA through two federal grants and 300 students in Columbia, SC through a state subrecipient grant program.

In California

In California, UYC uses Love Notes 4.1 SRA for high school youth and Relationship Smarts PLUS 5.1 SRA for middle school youth. Published by The Dibble Institute, these evidence-based and award-winning curricula take students through 13 modules of social-emotional learning and healthy choices so that their life goals and personal relationships align.

In South Carolina

In South Carolina, UYC uses the Choosing the Best curriculum series for middle school and high school youth. This curricula gives participants access to educational resources that allow them to voluntarily make the healthiest choices available to them in their interpersonal and community relationships. By meeting kids where they are at, we help students dream of a future where they achieve their full potential academically, socially, economically, psychologically, and in terms of physical well-being.

Through an innovative new proposal, UYC is positioned to link students from SRAE and Relationship education classes that emphasize healthy marriage to job shadowing opportunities and micro enterprise activities with community partners. In addition to providing social-emotional literacy, we will be able to offer financial literacy and job readiness. As our Founder and CEO, Rev. Dr. Nate Landis says, "I want a kid to know the story of Job, but I also want that kid to be able to retain a job."
 
Workforce readiness, therefore, empowers a young person to thrive by pursuing their dreams and making productive contributions to society. When someone can support a family through a career that they love and allows them to make a positive difference, then life takes on a whole new level of meaning and dignity.

Contact us for more information about how you can bring our life skills programs to a school, juvenile hall, or community center near you. We look forward to working together to benefit the remarkable young people that we get to serve!