Building Courageous Futures: Our Mission to Foster Courage in Youth and Their Champions

COMPASS for Courage was created with the invaluable support of a diverse team—teachers, school psychologists, social workers, counselors, behavior specialists, community advocates, parents, and youth. We are immensely grateful for the ideas, feedback, and advocacy these champions have provided, which have been instrumental in making COMPASS for Courage an award-winning initiative in resilience building.

The guiding principle behind COMPASS for Courage is the belief that everyone is courageous and, with the right guidance, can harness this inner strength to lead more authentic and fulfilling lives.However, sometimes, children need a COMPASS filled with this guiding light to recognize the courage within themselves. We believe in a future where every young person discovers and embraces their inner courage with the support of a knowledgeable and empowered community of adults committed to their wellbeing.

Through our work, we aspire to transform fear and uncertainty into strength and resilience and foster environments where both youth and their champions — parents, educators, mental health practitioners, and neighborhood mentors — collaborate to build confident, courageous futures.

We are committed to providing young people and adults in their lives with practical, fun, and research-based strategies to foster and harness courage at home, school, and neighborhood spaces. Our mission extends beyond inspiring youth to recognize and harness their inner courage; it encompasses equipping the caring adults around them with the tools and knowledge necessary to nurture this courage effectively.

Through this, we aim to build the inner strength of young people, enabling them to face challenges, stress, and fear confidently. Together, we work towards a future where every child and teen embraces their inner courage, grows into resilient, thriving adults, and realizes their best version of themselves.

Whether you’re a parent, mental health professional or practitioner, education professional, researcher, or simply someone who believes in our vision, we invite you to join us to empower and inspire courage in every young heart and mind.