Y.E.S mission statement: “Inspire Asian Youth to discover and actualize their greatest potential”. Y.E.S current reported stated that they have three goals today. The first goal is to provide programs which strengthen knowledge, skills, values, experiences, resources, opportunities, relationships and community connection. Their second goal is to orient their offerings to youths who’s personal and family situation have put them at a disadvantage and who’s needs are poorly met. Lastly, they strive to be a proactive, accessible and well managed organization that meets the needs and interests of their targeted youths. Overall they continue to provide essential services to the underserved Asian youth population.
Today YES offers services such as: family work, SAT prep, college and job exploration, gang intervention, substance abuse prevention, GED classes, wellness programs, art and cultural enrichment, school dropout prevention and many more.
Current Major challenges: It has been reported that the wants and obstacles facing low income Asian youth and families are poorly and not accurately reported. As a result, it is believed that Asian Youth don’t need services and as a consequence, funding isn’t consistent and is decreasing. The stereotype that “Asians are super achievers and the model minority, and that Asians can take care of their own have been a major obstacle in accessing resources for Asian youth in need, and their families” is a big factor in the misunderstanding of the population. Other challenges Y.E.S faces with its serviced population is academic failure, nonattendance, disciplinary action and sometimes negative peer relationships.
Current Program reports: Programs have been adopted but also redirected from previous years. Overall, Y.E.S the operations are structured and met. The programs they have been providing and events they have been hosting have served their purpose and intended benefit for youths.
Current opportunities: They were able to hire a grant writer as a result of a recent grant. They are optimistic that this new hire will allow the Executive director (Jane Leung) to dedicate more time to program development, monitoring and evaluation, staff supervision, strengthen internal data collection and lastly update their website which is currently down.
