Youth Education

SAVE is committed to helping young people build the tools, confidence, and support systems they need to thrive.

Our Approach to Youth Wellness

Adolescence and young adulthood come with real pressures: school, identity, relationships, and more. SAVE partners with schools and community organizations across Northern California to bring total wellness and health education directly to young people and to the parents raising them, in spaces where they already feel comfortable, from classroom conversations to parent workshops on the choices kids face growing up.

Our Work

MindOneSix

In partnership with Pro Youth and Families, SAVE delivers the MindOneSix curriculum, a youth mental wellness program created to meet young people where they are: in schools, in community spaces, and in honest conversation.

The name reflects a sobering reality: 1 in 6 youth face mental health challenges. MindOneSix responds with a non-clinical, facilitated approach rooted in Positive Youth Development, creating space for youth ages 12–24 to explore what mental wellness means to them, build self-awareness, and walk away with tools for everyday life.

Sessions are discussion-based and peer-centered, encouraging open reflection rather than clinical intervention.

This spring 2026, SAVE brought MindOneSix to John H. Still Middle School, running from April to May with 18 participants.

Program Results — John H. Still Middle School

Based on survey feedback from students who completed the program this spring.

89%

liked or loved the program

94%

said it helped their mood or mental wellness

78%

left feeling more confident

89%

always felt welcomed and included

#Futures: Youth Prevention & Work-Based Learning

In spring 2025, SAVE Family Foundation partnered with Impact Sac to bring #SacYouthWorks: Futures, a City of Sacramento program coordinated by PRO Youth & Families, to 29 youth ages 13–19 from five City Council districts. The program combines underage marijuana prevention with real-world job readiness.

Youth built relationships with trusted adults and peers, completed Stanford's Smart Talk: Cannabis Prevention curriculum, and earned a work-based learning certificate through Imago, building skills like teamwork, accountability, and interview preparation. They then led a service-learning project that brought prevention messages to their own community. Together, the cohort logged more than 1,100 hours of learning and youth-led service.

Every participant who completed the program received a $550 stipend, recognizing their commitment and the value of their voice in citywide prevention efforts.

Program Results — #Futures 2024–2025

Based on attendance and completion records from the spring 2025 cohort.

29

youth completed the program

$15,950

in stipends paid directly to youth

555

hours of youth-led community service

Clearing the Air: Vaping Prevention & Parent Education

SAVE brings vaping prevention education directly to elementary schools, not just to kids, but to parents. Sessions cover why vaping is especially harmful to developing bodies and minds, how to spot early warning signs, and practical ways to start the conversation at home before the pressure starts at school.