The Greater Wichita YMCA is honored to be a recipient of a 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Award from the Wichita Business Journal. The award will be officially presented during a luncheon on August 22 at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. Area businesses, individuals, and nonprofits who receive this recognition excel in efforts to promote respect and inclusive treatment for others, advocate for unrepresented groups and exhibit a commitment to the advancement of cultural diversity. The Y was nominated for its outreach initiatives targeted toward youth, and you can read the submission in its entirety below.
The Greater Wichita YMCA is a place FOR ALL people to find their potential, purpose and each other. That important message is built into everything we do, including the outreach programs designed for our next generation of leaders.
The Y’s Middle School After School and Job Prep programs and the Wichita Collective Impact initiative are examples of youth-centered endeavors that reach kids of all ages and backgrounds, from pre-kindergarten through high school.
Middle School After School Program
The free Middle School After School Program is operated through a longstanding partnership between Wichita Public Schools and the Y that is now in its 30th year.
Currently offered at 11 schools, students at each site receive support from caring adults, tutoring, engaging projects, a nutritional snack, physical activity and relationship-building with peers.
The first few hours after school lets out are a prime time for youth to make negative choices. The availability of such programming from the end-of-day school bell to 5 p.m. gives sixth, seventh and eighth graders a place where they can feel secure and understood.
Job Prep
Since 2008, the Y’s Job Prep program has been creating work-ready teens through classroom instruction and certification in first aid and CPR. The 15-17 year olds who pass all classroom requirements and mock interviews are eligible for summer employment with a Job Prep business partner.
The free program experienced incredible growth this year, with many students looking to Job Prep for answers on how to build their self-esteem, communication skills and sense of self-worth – concerns brought on by COVID-19 isolation and virtual learning.
The 2023 enrollment goal was 150 students. In total, 301 teens signed up to attend Job Prep sessions at two Y locations, six Wichita Public Schools high schools and Goddard Academy.
Wichita Collective Impact
Funded through a $2 million gift from Cargill Protein North America, the Wichita Collective Impact initiative is jointly led by the Y, United Way of the Plains, the Public Policy & Management Center at Wichita State University and Wichita Public Schools with the goal of making Wichita a more equitable place to learn, work and succeed.
Efforts are continuing in the 67214 zip code where residents are significantly underserved in education and career guidance.
Wichita Collective Impact projects have already had a profound impact on students at Spaght Science and Communications Magnet. The Y has a dedicated staff member, LaWanda DeShazer, based at Spaght to work directly with parents to increase their involvement in their kids’ educational journeys.
To ensure learning doesn’t stop while school is out, the Y and its partners awarded grants to four 501(c)(3) organizations to provide summer programming for students in the targeted area who are entering kindergarten, first or second grade this fall.
The Y’s commitment to diversity and inclusion continues to drive the growth and expansion of these programs and the many more we offer. We are intent on making the cities we serve stronger and healthier as a whole, and that’s the true meaning of being FOR ALL.