South Asian Youth Action Saya Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO FOSTER A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING IN YOUTH AND PROVIDE THEM WITH TOOLS TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY, PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.

THIS PAST YEAR PROVED AGAIN THE RESILIENCE AND DEDICATION OF OUR YOUTH AND STAFF. BETWEEN JULY 2020 AND JUNE 2021, OVER 1,550 YOUTH IN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL, AND COLLEGE PARTICIPATED IN SAYA PROGRAMMING. DURING THIS PERIOD, OUR PARTICIPANTS CONTINUED TO MAKE STRIDES IN MULTIPLE AREAS, INCLUDING DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND GAINING CRITICAL SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) COMPETENCIES THAT HAVE SHOWN TO HAVE LONG-TERM POSITIVE IMPACT. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN PROGRAMS USING THIS APPROACH RESULT IN: I) BETTER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, II) IMPROVED ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS, III) FEWER NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS, AND IV) REDUCED EMOTIONAL DISTRESS. (DURLAK, J. A., WEISSBERG ET AL, 2011, META-ANALYSIS OF 200 SCHOOL-BASED SEL PROGRAMS INVOLVING 200,000 K-12 YOUTH). THROUGH SAYA-AUTHORED SURVEYS MEASURING GROWTH IN SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING, 90% OF OUR CENTER PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS STATED THEY FELT A STRONG FEELING OF BELONGING AT SAYA AND CONNECTION TO THEIR PEERS AND OUR PROGRAM LEADERS. YOUTH IN KINDERGARTEN TO 8TH GRADE PROVIDED AN AVERAGE RATING OF 4.4 OUT OF 5.0 IN RELATION TO THEIR PERCEIVED ENJOYMENT AND LEARNING OF SAYA PROGRAMMING.THROUGHOUT OUR WORK, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE AND ENSURING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DEDICATE TIME TO ACTIVITIES THAT GROUND THEM OUTSIDE OF ACADEMIC WORK IN ORDER TO REMAIN BALANCED. IN ADDITION TO REGULAR PROGRAMMING, SAYA PROGRAM FACILITATORS CONTINUED TO EXPAND HEALTH AND WELLNESS EFFORTS THROUGH INCREASED ONE-ON-ONE CHECK-INS AND SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND PROVIDED TRAINING IN SELF-CARE TECHNIQUES TO ENSURE OUR YOUTH WERE ABLE TO COPE WITH LIFE'S STRESSORS. IN PARTICULAR, OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVED INDIVIDUALIZED MENTORSHIP AND SUPPORT TO HELP THEM REMAIN ON TRACK TO GRADUATE. IN OUR CURRENT COLLEGE SUCCESS COHORT, 97% OF OUR YOUTH ARE ON TRACK TO GRADUATE WITHIN 5 YEARS.IN MARCH 2021, SAYA LAUNCHED A PEER-TO-PEER MENTORING PROGRAM AT OUR COMMUNITY CENTER. THE PROGRAM CONNECTS CURRENT YOUTH IN HIGH SCHOOL WITH SAYA COLLEGE STUDENT MENTORS TO COVER A RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING BUILDING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND CAREER ADVISEMENT. THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE AND GROUP SESSIONS, TUTORING, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, MENTEES BUILT LEADERSHIP SKILLS, CREATED COMMUNITY, AND IMPROVED THEIR ACADEMIC ABILITIES, WHILE MENTORS LEARNED SKILLS SUCH AS DELEGATION, FACILITATION OF GROUP DISCUSSIONS, AND DESIGNING WORK PLANS WHICH WILL BENEFIT THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES.WE AIM TO GIVE YOUTH THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO REALIZE THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION ASPIRATIONS, GAIN ADMISSION AND THRIVE AT THEIR BEST FIT COLLEGE, AND PREPARE TO EMBARK ON FULFILLING CAREERS. BY PROVIDING THESE TOOLS, WE HELP OUR YOUTH BECOME WELL-ROUNDED INDIVIDUALS, PREPARED FOR ACADEMIC, PERSONAL, AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. IN 2021, 20 YOUTH IN OUR COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAMMING WERE GRANTED EDUCATION AID THROUGH OUR SCHOLARSHIP FUND, AN INDIVIDUAL DONOR-SUPPORTED INITIATIVE. AS OF JUNE 2021, 100% OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO COLLEGE. WHILE THIS PANDEMIC AND MANY OF ITS RELATED CHALLENGES MAY CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME, SAYA REMAINS A STEADFAST RESOURCE. WE ARE PROUD TO REMAIN A TRUSTED SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR OUR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY. FOR SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE, SAYA SERVES AS A VITAL AND WELCOMING SPACE DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.