Our age-tailored group sessions bring together middle and high school students (grades 6–12) in a structured, supportive setting to explore the skills that emotional resilience is built on, recognizing feelings, managing stress, supporting peers, and understanding when and how to ask for help. Each workshop cycle runs 6–8 weekly sessions, with content thoughtfully adapted to each developmental stage. Middle schoolers engage through interactive games, art, and conversation about finding trusted adults, while high schoolers dig deeper into identity, future anxieties, and peer leadership. Youth don't just attend these workshops — they grow through them.

When a young person is struggling, getting them to the right support quickly can make all the difference. Give Chances maintains a strong, community-based mental health network that ensures no one falls through the cracks, whether they need a brief check-in with a counselor or a connection to specialized clinical care. Our staff includes professionals holding Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credentials, enabling us to conduct emotional screenings, provide brief counseling, identify early warning signs, and make timely referrals to appropriate services throughout program participation. 

Healing doesn't happen in isolation. Our monthly Family Systems-Based Seminars invite parents and caregivers to the conversation, offering education, peer support, and practical tools to help them navigate their child's mental health. Sessions are held in English, Korean, and Spanish and cover topics like understanding adolescent mental health, improving family communication, and reducing the stigma that too often keeps families from seeking help. Childcare is provided so that no parent has to choose between attending and caring for younger children. When families feel supported, young people do too.

Youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience mental health challenges at significantly higher rates than their peers, yet they remain among the least served by existing systems. Our individualized 1:1 program offers weekly after-school sessions tailored to each youth's needs, using sensory play, art, and music therapy techniques, and simple relaxation methods to help participants identify, express, and regulate their emotions in safe and meaningful ways. With a 1:1 or small-group staff ratio and volunteers trained in positive behavior support and de-escalation, every young person receives the focused, compassionate attention they deserve.

Once a year, our entire Chance Makers community comes together for this one-day celebration of growth, resilience, and community. Youth participants take center stage, sharing reflections on their journey, presenting artwork that expresses themes of wellness and belonging, and leading conversations that challenge stigma and inspire their peers. With invited speakers from the fields of youth mental health, education, and advocacy, the Summit is both a milestone for our participants and a powerful message to the broader community: young people's mental health matters, and their voices are worth hearing.