Supporting Young People

We believe that developing a strong sense of belonging, identity, purpose, and agency leads to greater health and well-being for young people.

The need to belong is fundamental to adolescent well-being and rooted in biology — feeling and being connected to others has always been necessary for survival. When young people belong, they feel safe, supported, respected, and accepted. A sense of belonging supports a range of benefits for young people, including positive mental health, academic engagement and performance, self-esteem and self-efficacy, and future trajectories of employment, education, and training. Conversely, not belonging is associated with social isolation, poor mental and physical health, school disengagement, antisocial behavior, and finding unhealthy alternative spaces for belonging.

The development of an integrated identity is critical to healthy adolescent development. Identity is a sense of internal consistency about who one is across time and across multiple social contexts (such as race/ethnicity, profession, culture, gender, and religion). It serves as an internal framework for making choices and provides a stable base from which young people can act in the world. Throughout adolescence, a young person’s sense of identity increasingly influences their decisions.

Helping young people develop a sense of purpose—a forward-looking perspective that guides actions and decisions—can build resilience, support mental health, reduce negative risk-taking, and provide direction and motivation. Young people need to successfully explore their unique talents and preferences, discover what they find most meaningful, and understand how they might make a positive difference in the world. Young people with a greater sense of purpose are happier, healthier, and more motivated to achieve a wide range of positive developmental outcomes.

When young people develop a sense of agency—a process through which they come to believe they are active agents in directing their lives—they can conceptualize a goal, develop a plan to pursue it, be confident in their ability to achieve it, and act towards their goal. Increasing youth agency benefits young people by building their capacity to become independent adults. This increased capacity can boost their confidence as they transition into adulthood.

To support young people in developing a strong sense of belonging, identity, purpose, and agency, we will fund organizations that create the conditions young people need to:

• Cultivate healthy, supportive relationships and social networks with peers, near-peers, and trusted adults
• Explore their values, interests, and goals
• Contribute in meaningful ways to others and their community
• Make good decisions and establish positive health behaviors (for example, manage stress in healthy ways, stay active, eat a nutritious diet, get an adequate amount of sleep, refrain from substance misuse, delay early sexual activity, and prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancy)