Supporting Kansas City Youth Through Healing & Growth

BAM and WOW are vital counseling programs serving approximately 105 students each week in Kansas City schools. These programs provide weekly group counseling sessions, known as “Circles,” alongside individual support, crisis intervention, and drop-in check-ins. Beyond working directly with students, BAM and WOW counselors collaborate closely with teachers, school staff, and administrators to build a strong, student-centered support network that helps young people thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

The Challenges Facing Kansas City Youth

Many young people face significant obstacles outside school that directly impact their ability to succeed academically and socially. Poverty, exposure to trauma, and difficulties regulating emotions or behavior are common barriers for the youth BAM and WOW serve. These factors can lead to falling behind in school, engaging in risky behaviors, or even dropping out entirely.

Research shows that growing up in poverty negatively affects children across many areas, including health, education, employment, and interactions with the justice system. Families struggling to meet basic needs often face high stress and limited supervision, increasing the risk that youth will engage in unsafe behaviors. Additionally, many children from low-income households need mental health support but are unable to access it due to cost or stigma.

Persistent unemployment among youth further compounds these challenges. Young people without stable jobs by their early twenties face a greater risk of lifelong joblessness and economic hardship, perpetuating cycles of poverty. These disparities disproportionately affect youth of color and have been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased feelings of isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty.

Adverse Childhood Experiences & Their Impact

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) — potentially traumatic events such as violence, abuse, or household dysfunction — have lasting negative effects on children’s health, well-being, and academic success. Low-income and minority youth in Kansas City experience higher rates of ACEs compared to their peers.

Nationally, nearly half of children living in poverty have experienced at least one ACE, with Black and Hispanic youth reporting even higher rates. In Kansas City, almost half of all children have faced at least one ACE, and the number experiencing three or more has doubled in recent years. These experiences are linked to growing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and behavioral disorders among local youth.

Compounding these risks, Kansas City has some of the highest violent and property crime rates in the country, with a crime occurring every seven minutes on average. This environment of violence and trauma intensifies the need for accessible, stigma-free mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL) programs like BAM and WOW.

How BAM & WOW Respond To These Needs

BAM and WOW offer culturally responsive, holistic programs designed to meet the unique needs of young people coping with trauma, poverty, and violence. The programs provide a safe, welcoming space where students can build social-emotional skills, heal from past trauma, and develop supportive relationships.

Group Counseling & Individual Support

At the heart of BAM and WOW are weekly group counseling sessions, called Circles, where students explore topics related to emotional regulation, healthy decision-making, and coping strategies in a supportive environment. Counselors also provide one-on-one sessions, crisis intervention, and flexible check-ins to address immediate needs.

School & Community Collaboration

BAM and WOW counselors work closely with school personnel to create a student-focused network of care. By supporting teachers and administrators, they help ensure students receive consistent encouragement and support throughout their school day.

Addressing Mental Health Stigma & Access

By providing mental health services directly in schools, BAM and WOW remove common barriers such as cost, transportation, and stigma. This on-site access helps youth get the help they need before challenges escalate.

Positive Outcomes & Student Voices

Participants in BAM and WOW report meaningful changes in their lives. Students describe becoming more open about their feelings, developing trust in others, and making positive changes in how they treat people around them. One student said, “I’ve become a better person towards others and really put effort into the things I do.” Another shared, “WOW changes that and makes everyone feel welcome and important.”

These testimonials underscore the programs’ success in fostering emotional growth, resilience, and a sense of belonging.

Preparing Youth For The Future: Workforce & Life Skills

Recognizing the importance of preparing youth for life beyond school, BAM and WOW are incorporating elements of Youth Guidance’s Youth Workforce Development programming. This includes job readiness and career exploration workshops, development of 21st-century skills such as collaboration and communication, and connections to college and career opportunities.

Providing these skills helps students from under-resourced neighborhoods connect to internships, post-secondary education, and meaningful employment — crucial steps to breaking cycles of poverty and building brighter futures.

Vision For A Brighter Tomorrow

Youth Guidance envisions a future where every student in the Hickman Mills C-1 and Center School Districts has the opportunity to succeed despite the challenges they face. BAM and WOW stand as beacons of hope and healing for youth living with layers of trauma, violence, and adversity.

By addressing social-emotional health, providing mental health services, and equipping students with workforce skills, BAM and WOW foster holistic development that supports healthy behaviors, academic achievement, and long-term success.

In this vision, youth are empowered to overcome barriers, build supportive communities, and create a more positive future not only for themselves but for the entire Kansas City area.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.