Colorado Youth Matter

A nonprofit organization

Help youth make healthy decisions, set goals, graduate, and achieve their dreams! Your tax-deductible donation supports our critical work for youth sexual health. Be a champion for youth and invest in healthy and informed young people!

Testimonials

"Colorado Youth Matter has been a state leader in youth sexual health and teen pregnancy/HIV prevention programs that are evidence-based, culturally sensitive and meet state laws and guidelines for sex education in schools. Colorado Youth Matter's approach to working with local communities and schools promotes the use of best practices, respects community values and leverages existing relationships to foster local support systems and avoid duplication of services. Their work creating linkages between education and clinical services as well as youth development resources remains an invaluable mechanism of support for schools and community-based organizations across Colorado." - Colorado Education Initiative

"[Colorado Youth Matter's] statewide perspective makes them unique. Other entities are more locally focused. They do a really good job at representing the diversity of the coalition partners." - Community Stakeholder

"Colorado Youth Matter has demonstrated continued success in promoting a strong infrastructure statewide to improve the sexual health of youth and the well-being of parenting teens across Colorado. Their dynamic training, strategic advocacy efforts and provision of technical assistance to the organizations delivering comprehensive, evidence-based programming has made a significant positive impact on our policy environment and the school experience for Colorado youth." - Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains

"CYM has knows what's happening at the national level and they disseminate that information well. They also have a niche for training the trainers, based on a youth-adult partnership model. They're always up to date on curriculum and new models of training. The actual delivery of concepts to trainers is where they shine."
- Community Stakeholder

"Thank you for warm ups and structure. You navigate group dynamics well and are knowledgeable in your field. I liked the teach back and how I was prepared to do it by the time it came to me presenting. Good for us to go through the awkwardness ourselves before facilitating."
-Educator/Training Participant

What was your favorite part of Youth Action Day 2015? Youth participants respond:
- [Learning] that my voice towards my rights matter; not to not be afraid to talk the representatives and legislators.

- It was amazing walking to the capital and seeing things in action

- I always love meeting new people and expressing all of our opinions with the framework of Youth Action Day.

- Something new I will do because of Youth Action Day is to let other youth know that their voice deserves to be heard.

- [Because of Youth Action Day], I'm joining senate at my school and it made me want to consider being a senator or representative when I grow up.

- I will definitely attend next year's Youth Action Day.

Mission

Colorado Youth Matter actively engages Colorado communities to promote the healthy sexual development of all young people.

Background Statement

Colorado Youth Matter (CYM) began in 1984, as an all-volunteer organization providing networking and training opportunities for professionals working to support teen parents. This was our sole area of work until 2006, when we expanded our focus to a comprehensive view of adolescent sexual heath. At that time we established ourselves as the only statewide organization working to create systems-level change with state agencies, schools, districts, and communities across Colorado.

We envision a Colorado in which all young people are equipped with education and resources to make informed decisions about their sexual health. CYM does not directly provide comprehensive sexual health education to youth, but rather works to strengthen leadership and advance the movement for youth sexual health among adult educators, including parents. To this end, CYM provides training and professional development to youth serving professionals and community members, advocates for access to education, and publishes valuable research tools.

Our work is informed by a Theory of Change which supports our overarching belief that all youth have the right to dream and be supported in carrying out those dreams. Youth with the proper resources and support are better able to choose when and if to have children and have increased graduation rates. Our Theory of Change focuses on:

1. Increasing access to complete sexual health information and education in schools;

2. Expanding access to safe, legal, youth-friendly sexual health services;

3. Improving the capacity, and promoting the involvement of trusted adults;

4. Advocating for equitable access to sexual health education for all Colorado Youth;

5. Recognizing adolescents as consumers of their own care;

6. Recognizing sexual health as a holistic, integrated aspect of overall health, and;

7. Bolstering the ability of youth to create safe relationships in safe environments.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Colorado Youth Matter

other names

CYM, Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting and Prevention (COAPPP)

Year Established

1988

Tax id (EIN)

74-2511487

Category

Education

Address

2590 Walnut St Suite 52
Denver, CO 80205

Service areas

Denver County, CO, US