The Fishers Youth Assistance Program (FYAP) and Youth Mentoring Initiative (YMI) have combined forces to form Fishers Youth Initiative (FYI), a new nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that young people within the Hamilton Southeastern school district have every opportunity to build a positive future.
By merging their strengths, YMI and FYAP aim to magnify their impact by serving more children and families through a comprehensive network of programs and services designed to help youths navigate life’s challenges.
Board President Matt Schlueter wants people to know that despite the name change of the nonprofit, the goals, resources and impact are still the same.
“The goal of the merger is to give the community clarity on where to go and support the youth in our community,” Schlueter says. “By combining forces, we’re giving that clarity and we’re able to do better and go further. We’re not working in silos anymore, but together.”
Schlueter says part of the mission was to give those in the community who want to give their time, resources and financial donations to area youths a collective initiative – more of a one-stop shop instead of deciding where to volunteer or donate.
YMI has provided successful student mentoring programs for years, while FYAP has focused on early intervention referral services that connect youths and their families to critical resources. Together, Fishers Youth Initiative will:
● Enhance services to expand and strengthen programs to serve children and families better.
● Streamline access by offering a one-stop shop to address the needs of youths within the community.
● Build a unified network by fostering collaboration among compassionate individuals and organizations dedicated to helping young people thrive.
FYI will continue delivering the same programs its predecessor organizations have historically provided. This includes YMI’s mentoring program, Snack Attack and the Summer Meals Program. Additionally, FYI will continue to work in collaboration with Early Intervention Advocates appointed by Hamilton County as part of the Youth Assistance Program.
Schlueter says volunteering as a mentor is one of the best ways the community can support FYI. Mentoring relationships are essential to helping students discover who they are, develop skills and learn how to engage with the world.
“We have over 40 kids at any given time that need a mentor – a caring adult who is not mom or dad – to give 30 minutes of their time a week,” he says. “As a mentor, you’re being challenged and growing just at much as the student you’re mentoring, and learning how to connect with and support a student.”
In the coming weeks, a new brand and website will launch with information on joint programs and fundraising opportunities to support youths in Fishers. In the interim, both organizations’ websites – ymionline.org and fishersyap.org – will continue to direct people to current programs and referral links.
To get involved, community members can send an email to info@ymionline.org.
