Youth Guidance – BAM

Launched 2020
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About

School-based, trauma-informed group counseling programs for young men

The Youth Guidance Becoming a Man (BAM) program provides highly engaging school-based counseling and mentoring to promote social-emotional and psychological well-being, strong school engagement, and increased academic attainment for young men in grades 7-12. BAM counselors work full-time in schools, delivering clinically-based individual and group services to students.

BAM and its companion program for young women – Working on Womanhood (WOW) – were selected as GreenLight Kansas City’s first investment based on their proven ability to improve outcomes for young men and women of color through culturally-competent programming. External research has shown BAM reduces crime by 50%, improves youth graduation rates by 19%, and, for every $1 invested in BAM, society reaps $30 in societal benefits.

BAM and WOW currently serve students in the Hickman-Mills (MO), Kansas City (KS), and Center (MO) School Districts and by 2025, will serve 1,000+ students annually. 

Launching Opportunity: Youth Guidance Kansas City

BAM’s Impact in Kansas City

721

students reached through BAM and WOW during the 2023-24 school year

85%

attendance rate of BAM students (2023-2024)
BAM participants
In Kansas City
73%

of BAM students showed strong growth in social-emotional skills

Read Charlie's Story

What Our Community is Saying

“BAM and WOW are proven, evidence-based models that provide youth safe spaces to share their challenges, find mentorship and access support.”

Quinton Lucas

Quinton Lucas

Mayor, Kansas City, MO

“I enjoy having a space for young men to talk and express themselves.”

BAM participant

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