Our Mission:

Empower.

We give young people the tools to recognize and resist the negative impacts of living with or facing adversity. The 16 Strong Project is dedicated to empowering resilience to adverse childhood experiences.

16 Strong symbolizes what it takes for every individual person to be strong through the 16 waking hours of the day (assuming 8 hours of sleep…in a perfect world). This can include things like positive coping mechanisms and support systems. Remember, everyone’s “16 Strong” will look different!

Our Mission

The 16 Strong Project strives to enhance the lives of young people and their families by taking a proactive approach to adolescent mental health. We seek to enlighten young people about the prevalence of the issue while providing them with appropriate and easy access to resources and strategies. We aim to become a partner in the lives of adolescents as they navigate their way through difficult times and develop healthy minds.
**Learn More**

Our Impact

The 16 Strong Project decreases the shame and stigma that come with adverse childhood experiences by educating young people about the importance of positive mental health. By promoting our three primary messages:

You are not alone
You are not to blame
You do not need to repeat the cycle

We are creating a wave of acceptance and acknowledgement, thus allowing young people to develop healthy identities. Through our programming, we are empowering adolescents to both recognize and resist the negative impacts that come along with living with at least one adverse experience.

Learn More

20% of youth (that’s 16 million children)

Live with a family member who struggles with mental health issues or addiction

2 out of 3 children

Experience at least one adverse childhood experience in their lifetime

75% of chronic mental illness

Begins by age 24

Our Programs

Our programming consists of three main components. The first component features on the ground educational programs delivered to middle and high school students as well as school personnel via workshops or assemblies. The second component will focus on online resources available through our website as we seek to create an active online community. The third component of 16 Strong programming will be a podcast that is story-focused and a space where we invite people to tell their real stories about their experiences living in these situations.

Learn More

EMPOWER-ed Workshop

16 Strong’s EmpowerED Workshop is a 10 week in-person workshop designed for middle and high school students. Students will learn how to recognize and resist the negative effects of living with at least one adverse childhood experience while being provided with the tools and language that is critical to communicating what they are experiencing.

Podcast

COMING SOON - the 16 Strong podcast will be story-focused and a space where we invite real people to tell their stories about their experiences living in these situations.

TIPS

Trauma-Informed Practices and Solutions is a training program for school personnel designed to provide strategies and tools to strengthen their response to the emotional needs of their students.

ONline Resources

COMING SOON - 16 Strong online resources will consist of a blog, webinars, and an online community to provide a space for young people to access resources in a relatable format anytime and with anonymity.

Screen Shot 2019-07-21 at 1.18.34 PM.png

“

NOvember 2014

MY SENSE THAT I was alone in these experiences was a weight that I carried constantly. In my upper-middle-class enclave, it was embarrassing enough that I had a single mother, let alone a father who was banned from seeing us.

Pacific Standard / Read Full Article