Building Stronger Futures
Preparing Kids for Life.Equipping our community’s youth with practical tools to build confidence, strengthen resilience, and prepare them for success in school, sports, relationships, and life.
Three Pathways. One Purpose.
Every journey is different, but every pathway shares one purpose: Preparing Kids for Life.
Resilient Youth for Schools & Youth Organizations
The adults who support young people have the opportunity to make a lasting impact every day.
Resilient Youth provides flexible, research-based training that helps schools and youth-serving organizations equip their staff with practical tools to build confidence, strengthen resilience, and support the youth they serve.
From introductory workshops to full Teach-the-Teacher implementation, organizations can choose the level of training that best fits their goals and the youth they serve.
Mind of a Champion Building Resilience for Sports, School and Life
Athletes face challenges that test far more than their physical abilities. Every practice, competition, setback, and success provides an opportunity to build confidence, strengthen resilience, and develop the mental skills that lead to success in sports, school, and life.
Mind of a Champion is a research-based course that helps athletes develop those skills through practical techniques they can apply both in competition and everyday life.
Athletes gain practical tools to strengthen focus, build confidence, and develop resilience while preparing them for success far beyond the game.
Stress Less for the Test
Athletes face challenges that test far more than their physical abilities. Every practice, competition, setback, and success provides an opportunity to build confidence, strengthen resilience, and develop the mental skills that lead to success in sports, school, and life.
Mind of a Champion is a research-based course that helps athletes develop those skills through practical techniques they can apply both in competition and everyday life.
Athletes gain practical tools to strengthen focus, build confidence, and develop resilience while preparing them for success far beyond the game.
Preparing Kids for Life Starts Here
Every day, young people face challenges that test their confidence, resilience, and ability to navigate life’s ups and downs. While we can’t remove every obstacle they will encounter, we can equip them with practical tools they’ll use for the rest of their lives. That’s why United Way of Will County launched the Resilient Youth Initiative, bringing schools, families, coaches, educators, and youth-serving organizations together around one shared purpose: Preparing Kids for Life.
Through three practical, research-based programs, the Resilient Youth Initiative provides young people and the adults who support them with the skills to build confidence, strengthen resilience, and face life’s challenges with greater confidence. Whether learning to manage stress before a big test, developing leadership on the playing field, or overcoming everyday obstacles, these experiences help prepare youth for success in school, sports, relationships, and beyond.
Thanks to the support of our community partners, all three Resilient Youth programs are offered at no cost to Will County residents, along with the educators, coaches, and youth-serving professionals who guide them. Together, we’re helping prepare the next generation with the resilience, confidence, and life skills they need to thrive today and for years to come.
Building Resilience for Lifelong Success
Whether a young person is learning to manage stress before a big test, developing confidence on the playing field, or building resilience through everyday challenges, the skills they learn today shape how they respond to tomorrow’s opportunities.
The Resilient Youth Initiative brings these practical, research-based programs together under one shared mission: helping young people build confidence, strengthen resilience, and prepare for success in school, sports, relationships, and life.
Building Stronger Futures Across Will County
Partcipants Trained
Number of Partner Schools & Nonprofits
Number of Student Manuals Distributed
What Educators Are Saying …
“As for my experience with resiliency this year, I am recognizing more students than I realized who could make use of the principals. I would like to see all programs offer something in their curriculum which reflect resiliency and its importance in their chosen career path.”
Jeannine Marco RN, M Ed
Assistant Principal Student Services
Wilco
“As a school social worker, I am so grateful and excited to share this with my colleagues and students. The lessons are simple and meaningful. The training was a valuable experience. Highly recommend!”
Marie Goulet, LCSW
Lead Social Worker, New Lenox School District #122
“The Resilient Youth program focuses on valuable life skills. The curriculum, the instructor, and the techniques provided for instruction are not only well organized but also relevant and easy to quickly implement. Kudos to the RY team.”
Danielle Valiente
Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning,
Reed Custer Community Unit School District #255
Preparing the Next Generation Together
Resilient Youth in Will County is made possible through the generous support of Congressman Bill Foster, the County of Will, and ExxonMobil Joliet Refinery. Their investment helps ensure these research-based programs remain available at no cost to the young people, educators, coaches, and organizations that serve our community.
Bring Resilient Youth to Your Organization
For schools and youth organizations.
Register for Mind of a Champion
For athletes, families, coaches, and educators.
Register for Stress Less for the Test
For students, families, and educators.
Have Questions?
Learn more about the Resilient Youth Program, free training and instructional materials
Please complete this form if you are a K-12 educator in a public or private school in Will County who is interested in learning more about the Resilient Youth Program and the free training and instructional materials available through the United Way of Will County.