What is Pathways?
Pathways is a program that cultivates relationships of inspiration and guidance in communities, helping young people imagine their future and pursue lives of real meaning.
Our Philosophy
Young people are often challenged to imagine their future. We believe being truly listened to and offered thoughtful counsel by someone who’s lived the experience can be transformative. While practical advice from parents, guidance counselors, books and videos can be useful, we started Pathways to lower barriers between young people and community members. We find communities are often eager to share their non-judgemental, informed experience and wisdom with young people. We call this being a “guide on the side.”
Why Communities?
The comfort, support, safety and shared values of a community organization can foster quality conversations and support, and caring commitment to young people, leading to these outcomes below.
Pathways Inreach
Pathways Outreach
Pathways Upreach
“Pathways offers communities the chance to make a difference in the lives of young people, by providing them access to the wisdom and experience of its members to help them imagine their future and seek lives of real meaning. It also strengthens inter-generational connections and offers people of all ages a chance to reflect on issues that really matter.”
— Flynn Bucy, Immanuel Elder and Pathways Mentor
What Pathways Offers Communities
Pathways makes it easier for members of a community to offer a program of its own.
Here are the tools and resources we offer you…
Community Website
We help you build a custom website, or a new section to your existing website, to facilitate conversations, organize events, and share written and video resources that engage participants in exploration.
Conversation Management System
An online, searchable platform to facilitate one-on-one conversations between young people and community members.
Imagining Your Future
A program that facilitates regularly scheduled conversations within three-person inter-generational “guide teams” to explore important questions.
Reading & Video Resources
Handpicked content, such as articles, books, and videos, that inspire and encourage exploration, submitted by members of the community.
Group Forums
Events led by community members for high school students, college students, young adults and older adults, using materials we help you develop.
Mentor Pathways Interns
Help economically disadvantaged students find, apply for, prepare for and experience internships funded by the Pathways Internship Fund.
Pathways Internship Fund
Financial and other support from community members for economically disadvantaged high school students to work at unpaid internships.
Mentor Younger Community Members
Pathways community mentors can mentor youth and young adults who are members of the community.
Pathways at Work
Participants can explore job shadowing opportunities, internships, summer jobs, and gap year options contributed by members of the community.
Mentor the Underserved
Pathways community mentors can mentor at-risk high school students with support and training.
Consulting & Training
We offer communities documentation and training, and recommend tools and vendors to support their programs.
Design Your Own Program
Each Pathways community has different approaches to supporting young people. We’ll help you pick what you like, and develop something new!
Is Pathways for Your Community?
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You are a faith community in Northern Virginia that wants to do more to support young people, inside and outside of your community.
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You want to learn how other communities have done this using Pathways tools and resources.
Help us Spread the Word in Your Community by Sharing this One Page Infographic!
Use this link to access and share with others in your community this one-page infographic about us
From Pathways Participants
"What's been really useful about Pathways is having a place to step outside of your usual day-to-day bubble and reflect on larger topics."
- Robert, High School Explorer
“I've been asked questions that help me focus on what really matters to me, rather than what is the next logical step."
- Ellie, College Explorer
"This program has given a meaningful, protected space to explore questions... and really think through what future we want to bring about for ourselves."
- Lauren, Young Adult Guide