The Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) has launched a new initiative targeted at fortifying the support system for children across the state by ensuring that, by 2050, every child in Indiana will have at least five supportive adults in their life; this effort is dubbed "FIVE by 50," according to a report by Fox59. The announcement, which took place at the annual Kids Count Conference, emphasizes the importance of a network of supportive adults that includes trusted family members, coaches, counselors, or teachers, to aid in the healthy and educational development of children throughout the entire state.
In a statement obtained by Fox59, Tami Silverman, president and CEO of IYI, said, “We are launching a vision that has to do with connecting kids and making sure kids are surrounded by that network of support by caring adults that they need to thrive” further the initiative aims to be a proactive, positive approach to countering issues like anxiety, depression, chronic absenteeism, and childhood obesity, which are real concerns within the state, knowing it's an adults' job their responsibility to guide children towards a secured, healthy, and educated upbringing.
Simultaneously, another Indianapolis-based non-profit, Foster Success, is spearheading its annual FriendsGiving campaign with the goal of raising $120,000 to assist older foster youth in their transition to adulthood; this campaign will support necessities such as housing, utilities, and transportation, as detailed by WISH-TV. Delivering a hand-up to these young adults who lack the guiding presence of family and friends as they age out of the foster care system, Travis Tester, chief development and communications officer for Foster Success, told WISH-TV, “these young people often just do not have those proper adult supports in their lives.”
The emphasis on mentorship is underscored by the fact that the presence of adult guidance in a youth's life is linked to better attendance at school, mental health, and academic success as per IYI; furthermore a national analysis by MENTOR in 2024 illuminated the far-reaching impact of mentorship, as mentoring relationships are known to contribute significantly to a child's success and wellbeing in the long run, with reported increases in community engagement and leadership roles among those with mentors, as reported by Indiana Capital Chronicle.
With research demonstrating that nearly one in three young people in the United States grows up without an adult mentor outside of their family it is revealing a deep chasm affecting an estimated 9 million youth nationwide, and though there exists a demand for after-school programs, issues such as cost and transportation create barriers for widespread mentorship and support networks which "FIVE by 50" aims to address, organizations and individuals interested in participating in IYI's new initiative can sign up at iyi.org/FIVEby50, as announced by Indiana Capital Chronicle.
