YMHC in the Community

Looking for opportunities to build confidence, strengthen your skills, and take the next step toward your future? Dress For Success @dfswesternma is offering Foot in the Door: Young Adult, a program for ages 16–25 who are ready to bet on themselves and move forward. Participants will focus on: Owning your goals Owning your voice Owning your next move Owning the room Owning your look 📅 September 16 | October 21 | November 18 ⏰ 9:00 AM–1:00 PM If you're ready to stop feeling stuck and start making your move, this opportunity is for you. For more information, contact Ty Foster, Programs Manager, at ty@dfswm.org or visit dfswm.org

Across Massachusetts, decisions are made every day about community needs, priorities, solutions, and resources. Your experience should shape those decisions. You are the expert in what makes your community healthy. When you take the survey, you are sharing your values, needs, and hopes for the future. Driven by community members’ experiences, survey data helps local organizations advocate for equitable policies, apply for funding to meet local needs, and tailor programs to best serve their communities. At the state level, survey data helps to quantify health and social needs unique to different communities, identify opportunities to address inequities, and prioritize how resources are allocated. The Community Health Equity Survey uplifts groups that have often been underrepresented in important ways, like in data about their health and well-being. By taking the survey, you are adding your experience and expertise and ensuring that your community is represented. Take the anonymous survey today at https://www.mass.gov/community-health-equity-survey! #HealthEquity #survey #communityfirst #help #StrongerTogether #weneedyourhelp

Join the Gandara Center for a FREE virtual town hall focused on supporting youth mental health and preventing substance use. 💙 We’ll discuss: 🔹 Local youth health survey results 🔹 Early warning signs and how to start the conversation 🔹 Resources for caregivers 🔹 Ways to get involved in local prevention efforts 🔹 Insights from community experts 📅 Thursday, September 10, 2026 ⏰ 5:00 PM | 60 minutes 💻 Virtual via Zoom 💰 FREE — All are welcome! 👉 Register today: https://gqr.sh/q769 Registration takes less than a minute, and you’ll receive the Zoom link by email. 🎁 Complete the post-event survey for a chance to win one of three $30 gift cards! #YouthMentalHealth #YouthSubstanceUse #SpringfieldMA #CommunityHealth #Prevention #StopAccessCoalition

School is Back in Session, But Summer Is Still Going! We’re taking a moment to recap our 3-day Summer Leadership Academy! We brought together our Beat The Odds youth and youth from other youth-serving organizations for three days of leadership, learning, creativity, and fun. A huge thank you to all of our presenters, partners, staff, and the organizations that provided professional clothing to help prepare our youth for their future careers. Most importantly, thank you to our youth for showing up, participating, and making the academy a success! We’re proud of our young leaders and all they accomplished this summer. #SummerLeadershipAcademy #BeatTheOdds #YouthLeadership #YMHC #YouthMentalHealth

Supporting Youth Mental Health & Preventing Substance Use Join the Stop Access Coalition, a program of Gándara Center, for a free virtual town hall focused on youth mental health and substance use. This conversation is for parents, caregivers, and community members who want to better understand how we can support young people in our community. We’ll talk about: Local youth health survey results Early warning signs and how to start the conversation Resources for caregivers Ways to get involved in local prevention efforts Insights from community experts 📅 Thursday, September 10, 2026 ⏰ 5:00 PM | 60 minutes 📍 Virtual via Zoom 💲 Free — Everyone is welcome! Register here: https://gqr.sh/q769 Complete the post-event survey for a chance to win one of three $30 gift cards! Questions or need an accommodation? Contact India Hill at StopAccess@GandaraCenter.org. Please share with parents, caregivers, and community members who may be interested!