For more than 127 years, Wyman has offered programs and supports that “connect teens to their voices, their strengths and their futures.” Recognizing the increasing mental health challenges teens were facing, and the important role relationships play in healthy teen development, Wyman created its newest offering, the Teen Connection Project. The development and expansion of this proven program builds on Wyman’s more than 15 years of experience in supporting organizations across the country to deliver evidence-based programs, including their Teen Outreach Program.
Allison Williams became Wyman’s CEO in 2023, following 24 years of full-time service to the organization, including leading the team that originally developed the Teen Connection Project (TCP). Growing the scale and impact of TCP emerged as a clear priority for Williams, who immediately engaged the board and staff in discussions about Wyman’s responsibility to support teens in the face of mounting challenges.
I connected with Williams to learn more about TCP and Wyman’s goals to reach more young people with this critical mental health support.
The Conversation
Courtesy of Allison Williams
Allison Williams, CEO of Wyman
Q: Tell us about the Teen Connection Project. How does it work and why does it matter?
Allison Williams: As the PYD [Positive Youth Development] community knows, strong, positive connections are fundamental to teens’ health, wellbeing and positive life trajectories. Relationships are essential factors in healthy adolescent development and research continues to validate the importance of social connection for young people.
Even prior to the pandemic, teens reported increased levels of stress, anxiety and loneliness, and they continue to express a deep need for meaningful connection with others. TCP, a highly engaging, evidence-based program for high school students, uniquely prioritizes building social connection skills as an essential part of supporting teens. TCP is an upstream support that delivers long-term results in key areas of youth development. Developed with feedback from young people, TCP is consistently valued and loved by both the participants and the adults who guide them.
Establishing healthy relationships with peers is central to the design of TCP and is an effective approach to building social emotional skills. TCP is a turnkey, sequenced curriculum of 12 interactive lessons on topics including communication, conflict, trust, vulnerability, giving and getting support and recognizing strengths in themselves and others. TCP’s unique approach delivers this curriculum in small peer group meetings designed to build trust and connections. In the beginning of the program, teens come together to get to know one another and start to create a group culture. Once the group has been established, lessons focus on trust building and sharing. As lessons progress over time, teens share more about themselves, deepen their level of connection and practice skills outside the group. Hear what they have to say about TCP!
The curriculum and this unique group process require guidance and support from competent and caring adults. Through a partnership model, Wyman trains all TCP facilitators to have a deep understanding of the curriculum, build strong relationships with young people and effectively facilitate lessons.
Over the past eight years, TCP has been used by 17 partners, reaching 2,050 young people in nine states. A three-year research study conducted with TCP groups in Missouri high schools showed positive impact on quality of peer relationships, increased use of social coping strategies, lower rates of depressive symptoms and increased school engagement with strongest outcomes four months after program completion.
Q: You’ve set an ambitious goal to reach 100,000 young people in the next five years with TCP. How did you come to this goal?
We recognized the enormous need for young people. We know TCP directly responds to that need. And our mission calls us to be bold. We have connected with more than 100 local, regional and national partners, funders, policy makers and other informers. Every conversation reinforces critical themes:
- Young people are experiencing profound mental health and connection needs;
- Proactive interventions help build foundational skills for young people; and
- Solutions are required now.
TCP is a proven program that meets an urgent imperative to improve lasting social connections. We set our goal of reaching 100,000 young people by 2030 because we believe it is our responsibility as leaders to be bold on behalf of the young people we serve in partnership with others.
[Related: Youth mental health is personal. Our solutions need to be systemic.]
We believe that this audacious goal for TCP can meet this pivotal moment in time and make a transformative impact on the lives of teens by enhancing their social connections at scale. Through the expansion of TCP, more youth-serving professionals, organizations and systems will learn the importance of relationships and social connections and will be better equipped to help teens develop these critical skills.
Q: What advice would you offer to other youth-serving organizations wanting to respond to the mental health challenges young people are currently facing?
Supporting young people’s mental health is not just the responsibility of clinicians. Schools and youth service settings have the gift of seeing teens many hours a week. In that space, caring, knowledgeable and competent adults can intentionally provide the types of programs, opportunities and resources that lead to healthy development. Through strong relationships, we can also be on the front lines of identifying challenges young people may be having and partner in getting them the right supports.
Understand your organization’s role and strengths. Are you positioned to address some of the systemic challenges that exacerbate mental health concerns? Would implementing a program like TCP be a fit for your organization?
Remember that no single program or service is a panacea for the mental health challenges young people are facing. We need to work together in bold, deep partnership and collaboration. What other organizations in your community are working toward supporting young people’s mental health? How might you collaborate, share ideas or coordinate efforts?
Set your own bold goal. Listen deeply to young people. Engage others in your vision and move forward unapologetically on behalf of the young people you serve. Young people deserve all we have to offer, and they need us to show up big alongside and in partnership with them.
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To learn more about replicating the Teen Connection Project, reach out to Jillian Rose, TCP Expansion Project Director: jillian.rose@wymancenter.org.
