Our Youth Need A Culture Of Hope

Many of our youth are living with hopelessness. Many factors are contributing to this. According to the National Fatherhood Initiative one in four kids do not have a father figure. (This organization has also done research showing that there is a direct link between young men that grow up without fathers, and violent criminal activity). There is no biological, adoptive, or stepdad living at home. Since there is no father figure it means the mom has to work, minimizing time spent with the kids. Depression leading to suicide is the second leading cause of death among children, adolescents, and young adults aged 15-24. Drug use is off the charts.
Father Involvement Programs for Organizations and Families | NFI- 

The International Foster Care Organization reports that there are over 2, 726,000 children and youth in foster care. Added to all of this is an epidemic of loneliness. After saying all of this, there are obviously a lot of kids needing hope.
Home – IFCO – International Foster Care Organisation

Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for something positive to happen. There must be intervention by organizations and religious groups to bring about change. Kids need a caring person in their lives. They need friendships not gotten from social media nor based on the number of likes of something they have posted on the internet. They need to have a purpose that will take them away from being absorbed in social media and entertainment.

Our youth can benefit greatly from someone who truly cares about them- and is there for them in times of physical need or emotional distress-and who can help them deal with their emotional issues in a positive and effective way, growing into adulthood with principles of successful living. They can learn that it is okay to fail as long as they know that failure does not define them as a person, and they learn from it. Giving a high-five when they do well at something is equally important. Overall, they need to know how to deal with life struggles without using drugs or other means, that lead to destructive behavior. Having things to look forward to is a big part of emotional strength to carry on.  This involves taking our kids to places and just having fun together.

All of the above is where mentoring enters the picture. There are many organizations that deal with high-risk teens. Here are some:

FOCUS Program Coordinator | Friends of Children

Home – Big Brothers Big Sisters of America – Youth Mentoring

A.M.I.G.O.S. Mentoring Program –

The Arthur Project: Youth Mentoring Redefined

Home – Handy

How We Work – Thread

There are also 1000 churches in the United States that are partnering with schools in mentoring kids.

Psalms 127:3 says, “Children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward,” and they are created in the image of God. We need to “ train up a child in the way he should go, so that when he is old, he will not depart from it”(Proverbs 22:6).

Consider getting involved in a one-0n-one mentoring organization or church ministry. You could be a vital part of changing the life of a child or young person. You could help bring a culture of hope to a young person who is lonely and depressed.