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Vision Youth Offers a New Future
Caring for Young People in Appalachia
 | | Joey had a rough time growing up, learning early to act out his feelings in negative ways. Eventually the young man from Chestnut Ridge earned the label of “behavior problem” in school, and continued that conduct until a court ordered him at 16 years old to leave school. Joey had lived next to Appalachian Community CARE, a World Vision partner in Appalachia, since he was 14. He had participated in some of CARE’s activities, and staff had been reaching out to him as an expression of God’s love. |
Communities with few resources often cannot afford sports facilities, such as this basketball court. World Vision is providing these facilities to give children and youth places to come together. | | |
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One day Joey’s mother arrived at the Vision Youth office with a gift-wrapped Bible in hand. “This is to say ‘thank you’ for all the ways you’ve helped Joey,” she said. “He’s really changed since he started coming to Vision Youth.”
Caring for Appalachia’s Youth
Growing up in poverty, many youth living in West Virginia’s Appalachian communities struggle to establish a solid foundation that will support them into the future. Some fall behind at school, others have few activities to keep them occupied outside of school. Many lack skills and resources necessary to succeed in life, and many more grow up with little hope of escaping poverty.
To address these needs, World Vision introduced Vision Youth, a program designed to assist Appalachia’s youth to grow into healthy, successful adults who remain in their communities to share with others the skills and hope they have received. Vision Youth seeks to make a long-term, sustainable impact on the lives of children, youth, and their families in under-resourced communities throughout Appalachia. The program achieves this not only by instilling a brighter vision in youth, but by providing the resources and support they need to ensure they can attain that vision.
At the core of Vision Youth are Youth Outreach Workers (YOWs), compassionate adults from the community who know the challenges and issues young people face. YOWS model the compassion of a caring, Christ-centered adult, encourage young people to move forward, coordinate programs and activities for children and youth, and train volunteers in the community to do the same.
Vision Youth begins its journey with children when they are young by matching struggling elementary students with trained, adult tutors and mentors from partner churches. Through this KidREACH program, tutors provide not only academic help, but emotional nurture as well.
As young people mature, Vision Youth provides strong role models who can assist youth in setting goals for the future. YOWs also help youth find resources to follow through on those goals. Greg Croston is one of those YOWs. “I just started hanging with kids here to help them to know Christ,” says Greg. “I encourage them, work with them. It’s all based on relationships.”
World Vision also is developing training opportunities to provide high school drop outs and other older youth with a variety of marketable skills. This training focuses on providing direct technical, business operation, and life skills that prepare youth with the resources they need to secure fruitful jobs. Students will participate in hands-on education as they work in a business environment with performance standards and measures. The training curriculum is designed so each student can work at his or her own pace to ensure greatest success.
World Vision in Appalachia
The Appalachian region––a 200,000 square-mile area containing 399 counties in 13 states––is one of the most impoverished regions in the United States. Of the 55 counties in West Virginia, Barbour County, the site of World Vision’s office in Appalachia, is among the five most under-resourced counties in a state that always ranks in the bottom tier of the country’s economic scale.
World Vision’s ministry reaches into 26 of the state’s 55 counties, with community development in five north-central areas. Most of these areas struggle because of the closure of coal mines that once provided steady employment. When the mines began closing in the 1960s, the companies that owned the mines––and the towns––abandoned the company stores that previously served the communities.
Town residents, many whose families had lived there for generations, were left with no jobs and few resources. Many were too poor to own cars, so moving was difficult. And the pervasive value placed on family discouraged others from moving to find work. Many who lacked education because they assumed they’d spend their lives working in the mines had no other choice. They weren’t qualified for other jobs.
To empower the people of Appalachia, World Vision partners with World Servants, Appalachian Community CARE, and Young Life. Community development and hope are being built through a network of programs, including Vision Youth.
How You Can Help
Your help is needed to continue to bring transformation to youth growing up without adequate skills and vision in Appalachia. With your assistance, youth who have few resources can look forward to a future filled with hope. You are invited to participate in this life-changing work in West Virginia, where communities welcome partners to join them as they work to improve their lives.
• $30,000 will sponsor a youth outreach worker.
• $5,000 will support a KidREACH tutoring site.
• $500 will send a youth to camp.
• $100 will support a youth gathering.
• $50 will buy a student a backpack filled with school supplies.
Thank you for partnering with World Vision as together we shine God’s love among the young people of Appalachia.
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| Vision Youth Help provide tutoring, life skills training, and a caring relationship to high-risk youth. | | ||
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| The Storehouse Provide school supplies, clothes, toys, household goods and building supplies for strengthening families,schools and neighborhoods. | | ||
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| Tools for Transformation Help provide the organizational, planning and leadership tools to transform a neighborhood. | | ||
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Read about what is happening in Vision Youth programs around the country by clicking on the location name below. |
