About UYE
Urban Youth Excel provides a solution to the brokenness faced by at-risk youth by meeting kids where they are through a mentor. This leader will guide them in their relationship with the Lord and find a home church that will surround them with a caring, supportive Christian community. ContactGiveOur Mission & Vision
Our vision and mission is to help connect at-risk teens to faith
We intentionally partner with existing ministries, agencies, schools, and churches to foster community, build stability and allow for the better use of our resources and gifts to meet the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of inner city kids.
Mission & Purpose
Urban youth benefit deeply from the relationships with their leaders who care and nurture them, sometimes as a surrogate parent. Psychologist Dr. Earl Donelson of Samaritan Counseling Centers states, “While the world around us may spin out of control, children will continue to look to us for guidance in developing their own sense of what is important in life.” (The Importance of Values and Morals).
Our Beliefs & Values
Research has documented that without role models and caring adults in the lives of children, they will be more apt to make negative life choices. In addition, young people who may be tempted to turn to negative entities for emotional support and spiritual confusion such as gangs will have a positive place to turn instead.
THE URBAN YOUTH CRISIS
Young people in the inner city desperately lack spiritual, relational, and emotional guidance.
Most students in Urban Youth Excel come from a single parent or guardian household with a 95% poverty level. 98% are from minority cultures and attend urban schools that have a 53% graduation rate, putting these kids at risk of becoming societal statistics. They face challenges that are prevalent in the inner city such as hopelessness, dysfunctional relationships, peer pressure for drug use and from gangs, and a lack of support.
Urban kids also face a lack of spiritual direction. Most do not have a personal relationship with Christ, and those that do struggle with their faith due to negative influences in the inner city. Often kids turn to gangs and drug culture to find acceptance and love, but these solutions often have deadly outcomes.
Who We Are
Our Solution
Our passion at Urban Youth Excel is to meet these challenges head on by providing spiritual mentors to meet with kids, introducing them to Christ, build them in their faith and turn them into leaders who will help others become leaders and role models in their community. The dysfunction and instability of the urban environment are merely symptoms of the grave spiritual crises gripping the Inner City. Social programs are not enough, as they merely bind the wound, but do not transform the injury.
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does UYE serve?
Young people in the inner city who desperately lack spiritual, relational, and emotional guidance. The majority of students in urban youth excel come from a single parent or guardian household with a 95% poverty level.
How can I support UYE?
You can make a tax deductible donation online, become a corporate sponsor or attend our annual “Brushstrokes and Blessings” event.
Why is it important to bring at-risk teens to Christ?
Jesus provides comfort in the midst of suffering. He can provide hope and strength when they feel alone, scared, or confused. He can help them find joy in the midst of sorrow and peace in the midst of chaos.
What is the end goal for the student?
To provide guidance in everyday decisions, teach them how to love and be loved, and provide a sense of peace and joy that only comes from knowing Him. Jesus can make a difference in their life and He is ready and willing to do so.