Young Man With a Plan

Young Man with a Plan (YMWAP) delivers a holistic mentoring program that helps young Black and Latino men “in the middle” make academic and SEL gains and access sustainable futures. We achieve this through research-informed strategies of connecting youth to caring adults; strengthening youth academic, social emotional, critical thinking, and financial literacy skills; individualized success planning; quality partnerships; and creating a protective community. Young men receive 2+ hours of weekly in and out of school mentoring and coaching. YMWAP serves young men in grades 9-12, with a 90% retention rate over four years, and continued active engagement with alumni. YMWAP is led by Executive Director Jaykyri Simpson, Ed.D., whose doctoral research on Black male college persistence affirmed the value of mentoring and the degree to which young Black men craved explicit guidance respectfully delivered by trusted people. That is the essence of YMWAP.