Based in Chelsea, MA, Strive Youth Education Center is a not-for-profit learning institute promoting educational programs for children, youth, and families. Our programs empower participants to develop their capacities and talents to become protagonists of change in their communities.
Over the years, Strive has worked with more than 500 youth in Chelsea and surrounding communities. Our activities focus on the well-being of communities, fostering the education of children and junior youth, and empowering both young people and adults. These efforts help shape a pattern of community life marked by fellowship, joy, mutual support, and collaboration.
Participants learn through a rhythm of study, consultation, action, and reflection. Together, they explore meaningful ideas and put them into practice in their neighborhoods. As their capacity for service grows, more complex forms of collective action become possible. In this way, personal and social transformation advance hand in hand.
Strive offers programs inspired by the Bahá'í Faith, whose teachings inspire individuals and communities to work toward improving their own lives and contributing to the advancement of society. Central to these teachings is the oneness of humanity and the understanding that all people belong to one human family and share a responsibility to build a more just, unified, and compassionate world.
Emphasizing values such as service to others, the dignity and equality of every person, the harmony of science and religion, the importance of education, and the cultivation of spiritual qualities, Strive's programs are open to people of all backgrounds and beliefs, and are facilitated by mentors from diverse religious, cultural, and national experiences.
Learn more at bahai.org ↗Our earliest efforts focused on cultivating a spirit of service among junior youth, those between the ages of 11 and 14.
The Junior Youth Empowerment Program provided a structured environment in which learning, friendship, and community service were closely intertwined. Through regular study, collaborative projects, and acts of service, participants strengthened their academic foundations, developed moral purpose, and contributed meaningfully to the life of their neighborhoods. Over these initial years, approximately 100 youth and children in Chelsea took part in the program, building the foundation for the organization’s long-term commitment to youth development and community building.
As our understanding of the capacities of young people and the dynamics of community life deepened, Strive began to strengthen its capacity to accompany youth to reflect on their experiences, articulate insights, and contribute to the life of their neighborhoods.
In 2023, Strive began learning how to raise larger numbers of youth mentors through the Youth Empowerment Program and to expand the reach of the Junior Youth Empowerment Program by collaborating with local schools and organizations. Through events, conferences, weekly spaces, and a new summer internship for youth, cohorts of capable mentors and teachers were accompanied to serve those younger than them, raising a cohort of 50+ trained youth mentors and teachers and 200+ children and middle-school participants.
Strive continues to deepen its commitment to participatory action research, engaging youth not only as learners but as investigators and contributors to the generation and application of knowledge within their communities.
Central to this work is the idea that a young person’s education, work, family responsibilities, and service should be understood as interconnected dimensions of a unified life. During this period, the Action-Research Internship was introduced for youth from late high school through university, providing a structured, research-focused context in which older participants could develop their capacities through sustained contributions to community life.
“I have seen such a big change in my son through his participation in Strive. I feel like the program has given him a vision of the purpose in life and really appreciating who he is. Because this is really the goal, to learn about himself and become a better person, a better community member, a better brother, a better son, a better friend, a better sibling. I mean, you name it all.”
The honor and distinction of the individual consist in this, that he among all the world’s multitudes should become a source of social good.
Want to join a group, become a mentor, or support our work? We'd love to hear from you.
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