Helping young people put in the work and build a steadier future.

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Core Programs

UPLIFT → BUILD → EVOLVE

The Project Me Pathway™

A three-step program that uses practical skills to help young people become more stable and independent.

The Project Me Pathway™ serves young people ages 13 to 24 who have been affected by foster care, juvenile justice, family court, or related systems. It gives them a clear place to start and a way to see their progress.

The model draws on standards from OCFS, DOJ, and the Department of Labor, but the day-to-day work is practical. Participants build better habits by showing up and doing useful work. That follow-through earns the next step.

This is not a one-time service. It is a three-phase pathway that gives participants time to gain stability and discipline before taking on more independence.

Pathway Overview

Participants move through three connected phases. Each phase asks for more follow-through and gives participants more room to lead their own progress.

Phase I: UPLIFT™

Reconnect and get steady enough for the work ahead.

Phase II: BUILD™

Practice useful skills and the discipline needed to use them well.

Phase III: EVOLVE™

Take more ownership and build a plan that can hold up outside the program.

Phase I

UPLIFT™

Stability and Transition Readiness

UPLIFT™ is the starting point. The first job is getting steady enough to learn and begin trusting the process.

Some participants arrive after disrupted schooling or trauma, often without a dependable routine. UPLIFT starts there without lowering the expectation that progress is still possible.

What participants work on:

  • Understanding
    Learn what triggers reactions and practice handling pressure or conflict without letting strong emotions take over.
  • Purpose
    Connect education and job training to the kind of independence the participant wants to build.
  • Learning Foundations
    Address school gaps with tutoring, credit recovery, or re-enrollment, guided by a workable education plan.
  • Integrity
    Build trust by being honest and keeping commitments, including attendance.
  • Focus
    Practice managing time and finishing what was started.
  • Transformation
    Show clear improvement and readiness for the next phase.

UPLIFT™ helps participants get out of constant reaction mode and start building on purpose.

Phase II

BUILD™

Discipline and Workforce Preparation

BUILD™ is where effort becomes visible. Participants practice the habits expected in school and at work.

The point is repetition and follow-through. Participants learn from what went wrong and come back ready to do the work better.

What participants work on:

  • Discipline
    Follow routines and meet expectations, even when motivation drops.
  • Skill Development
    Build communication and problem-solving skills while learning the money and technology basics expected at work.
  • Application
    Use those skills in projects and real situations instead of only talking about them.
  • Consistency
    Repeat the right habits often enough that they begin to hold under pressure.
  • Exposure
    Explore different career paths that may fit a participant’s strengths, including creative and technical work.
  • Progression
    Earn greater responsibility by showing reliability and stronger judgment.

BUILD™ is where potential has to become action.

Phase III

EVOLVE™

Leadership and Independence

EVOLVE™ is the advanced phase. Participants are expected to lead more of their own work and make decisions with the future in mind.

Preparation gives way to ownership. Participants set the next goal and follow through, while learning how to recover when the plan changes.

What participants work on:

  • Education Advancement
    Finish high school or a GED, enter vocational training, earn credentials, or prepare for college.
  • Vision
    Choose a direction based on strengths, interests, responsibilities, and long-term goals.
  • Opportunity
    Pursue mentorship, internships, apprenticeships, jobs, and creative-industry experience.
  • Leadership
    Practice communication, conflict resolution, peer mentorship, and service in the community.
  • Values
    Keep accountability, perseverance, sound judgment, and nonviolent problem-solving at the center of decisions.
  • Empowerment
    Leave with a practical plan for work, housing, education, and continued stability.

EVOLVE™ is about leaving with a practical plan and the work ethic to keep going without constant supervision.

What We Track

We track progress in areas that matter in real life and to the people supporting each participant:

  • Increased school attendance and sustained academic engagement.
  • Completion or progress toward high school diploma or equivalency.
  • Improved emotional regulation and behavioral stability.
  • Reduced justice system involvement and recidivism risk.
  • Better preparation for work, including credentials and job placement.
  • Enrollment in post-secondary education or training programs.
  • Exposure to a range of career options, including creative industries.
  • Stronger leadership skills and positive community involvement.

Get steady and learn the work. Ownership follows, and that is how a young person moves from being managed by a system to managing a life.

Core Programs

See how the three Project Me phases turn steady effort into greater independence.

Special Programs

Explore hands-on programs where follow-through earns more responsibility and opportunity.

Community Partners

Meet the local people and organizations helping young people stay involved and keep moving.