PRO Youth & Families (PRO) has been inspiring, educating and mobilizing young people to become positive change agents for themselves, their families and their communities since 1981.
PRO’s values of youth first, hope, collaboration and a sense of belonging exemplify who PRO is as an organization.
“We view young people as the solution to society’s challenges and that is the approach we take to all of our work,” says PRO President and CEO Staci Anderson.
Anderson’s own experiences uniquely qualify her for this work. As a child, she struggled in school and constantly fought to be heard and recognized as someone of value. This armed her with the resolve to ensure all young people are heard and given the opportunities they deserve. As PRO’s president for the last 20 years, Anderson has been doing just that.
PRO’s direct service programs revolve around three main areas of work: wellness, youth voice and collective impact. These programs are offered in school and community-based settings and create spaces for youth to discover who they are, explore topics that impact their daily lives and develop skills to become tomorrow’s leaders. A sample of topics include:
• Advocacy & Civic Engagement
• Relationship Skills
• Restorative Justice
PRO’s desire to drive more responsive services and programs led to its Youth and Family Collective (YFC) initiative. YFC builds on existing assets, fosters connections, aligns programs and services, supports capacity building and drives collaboration. To date, more than 70 organizations have engaged in PRO’s YFC programs and projects.
“We view young people as the solution to society’s challenges and that is the approach we take to all of our work.” — Staci Anderson President and CEO, PRO Youth & Families
PRO’s innovative approach has yielded excellent results. In 2022-23, PRO partnered with five school districts and served more than 5,000 youth. “PRO Youth & Families is a valued partner in working on our goals of elevating youth voice, creating greater civic engagement and supporting student mental health and wellness,” says PRO partner and Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon.
