Detroit, MI – July 22, 2020 – With COVID-19 keeping children and teens home from school, social distancing keeping friends away from each other and a heightened level of anxiety across America, and visible on the minds of the adults who surround them, youth mental health is top of mind these days.
Encourage Me I’m Young (EMIY), a Detroit-based non-profit which has been working with youth since its creation in 2007, sees the effects that mental heath, suicide, violence and racism have on youth everyday. The organization’s goal is to positively impact youth and intervene in their lives with a message about their value, the value of their future and their family relationships. In the 13 years since its creation, EMIY has presented its message to more than 15, 876 children and teens. EMIY offers in-school and community workshops, groups and programs which focus on boys aged 8-14 in order to help them develop into future servant leaders and logical decision makers in their families and communities.
Calvin Mann, founder of EMIY, and a man who understands on a very personal level what is means to help youth who are struggling, explains the increased challenges youth, particularly young men are facing these days. “This has been a time of upheaval for many young men. For some, the family home isn’t a safe space, school was their haven and that was taken away from them. The loss of jobs has impacted family finances. Parents and grandparents are worried about those challenges and those worries can impact the home environment. Youth also understand what is going on around the country. They see and hear about COVID-19 and about the injustices being carried out every day. They know there is so much uncertainly right now about our future. These are all stressing elements for youth. For those who were already struggling with defining their future and with mental health, these new stressors can be overwhelming. It’s imperative that we reach these young people before it’s too late. That’s why we’ve created Smash Suicide and reoriented our website to tackle issues of suicide prevention.”
On July 20, 2020, EMIY will launch a newly reoriented website which focuses on suicide prevention. Of particular concern to EMIY are Black boys age 5-12, who are at greater risk of suicide. Smash Suicide provides hands on tips for recognizing suicidal behaviors in youth. The site also provides intervention information and encouragement as well as community supports for youth facing mental health challenges.
EMIY has also launched a fundraising effort to build a youth Empowerment Center. The EMIY Empowerment Center aims to create a unique safe haven for male youth in which to learn and develop the expectations of manhood using sports, innovation labs, literacy, academic enrichment, mentoring, fitness, and life skills to build a platform of healthy male engagement.
For more information about Smash Suicide, to learn suicide prevention tips, or to donate to the EMIY Empowerment, please visit www.emiyworld.com
About Encourage Me I’m Young
EMIY Inc., is a solution-based movement toward the restoration of families and communities through awareness, advocacy and action. Our intervention and prevention strategies include our EMIY Future Leaders Program for boys 8-14, EMIYNational RESPECT Day, and EMIY In School Programs.
For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact below.
Media Contact
Company Name: EMIY
Contact Person: Calvin Mann
Email: Send Email
Phone: 313-638-3649
Country: United States
Website: www.emiyworld.com