OUR IMPACT
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
St. Stephen’s Youth Programs (SSYP) began in 1999 as one church’s effort to provide neighborhood elementary students with a safe place to go when school was over. Today, our successful, cost effective, out-of-school time programming engages 850 young people ages 5-25 from all over Boston, as well as their parents and teachers.
Here are some ways that we differ from many youth development programs in Boston:
● We offer year-round academic and enrichment programs to a broad range of ages, from 5-25.
● We employ 180+ teens each year from neighborhoods with limited economic opportunities.
● We offer parent leadership programs and engage parents as critical partners.
● We are a model of intergenerational organizing at the local, state and nationwide levels. We don’t just meet the day-to-day needs of our young people and families; we also address the root causes of poverty to create real and lasting change.
● We partner with nearly 100 community organizations, including universities, social service organizations and faith communities.
● We are cost-effective: our annual cost per student served is about 33% less than comparable programs.