Progress doesn’t always happen in a straight line. For young people navigating trauma and complex life challenges, it can take time, trust, and consistent support to recognize their emotions, build healthier coping skills, and begin to see new possibilities for the future.
For Fully Liberated Youth (FLY), that progress starts with relationships.
FLY supports young people navigating complex trauma and challenges related to gangs, the criminal legal system, and school discipline. Through a restorative, relationship-centered approach, the organization works to strengthen young people’s mental health, build emotional awareness, and foster hope, dignity, and positive connections.
Caring for Denver’s funding supports FLY’s Community-Based Intervention Services (CBIS), which provide individualized, relationship-centered mental health and substance misuse support for system-impacted youth. Through culturally responsive therapy, peer mentorship, and case management, FLY helps young people navigate system involvement, build emotional regulation skills, and access consistent care that supports their stability and well-being.
Building Trust, One Conversation at a Time
A trusted relationship can create space for young people to talk openly about what matters to them, better understand their emotions, and work through difficult experiences. FLY’s previous grant-year outcomes offer a glimpse into what that support can make possible.
- 97% of surveyed youth reported consistently talking with their therapist or mentor about things that were important to them, highlighting the value of trusted relationships where young people feel comfortable sharing their experiences.
- 76% of surveyed youth reported learning to better recognize their emotions and/or manage their behavior when upset after working with their one-on-one therapist or mentor, demonstrating progress in emotional awareness and self-regulation.
- 87% of surveyed youth indicated experiencing fewer negative thoughts about themselves, others, and/or the world since working with their therapist or mentor, reflecting a reported improvement in their mental well-being.
Together, these findings highlight how trust, emotional awareness, and individualized support can contribute to young people’s mental health journeys.
Progress That Takes Time
Growth isn’t always easy to measure in a single moment. It can emerge through small changes, continued effort, and the steady presence of someone who shows up along the way.
One FLY mentor described working weekly with a young person over 18 months. Reflecting on the young person’s progress, the mentor shared:
His progress was not linear, but despite some setbacks, he continues to show up for himself every day and has done everything in his power to make positive choices and changes in his life. Including reducing his substance misuse, becoming mindful of his diet, and he has overall felt and looked the healthiest he’s ever been. He hopes that one day he can possibly mentor kids who are in similar situations.
The mentor’s account illustrates how progress can take shape over time, even when the journey includes setbacks. From making positive changes to imagining a future where they can support others, the young person’s experience reflects the potential for growth that sustained relationships can help nurture.
Progress isn’t defined by a perfect or predictable path. Sometimes, it looks like continuing to show up, making a different choice, or beginning to imagine how your own experiences might one day help someone else.