There are four major components of positive youth development. They are:

• A sense of competence
• A sense of usefulness
• A sense of belonging
• A sense of power

"Kids hurt too” was founded with a goal to reach youth and families in grief, specifically addressing parent loss and involving the whole family in positive youth development. We use a peer group model that offers a safe place of belonging where families come together and share a common tragedy. Peer support inspires a sense of usefulness and community service in children and families as they help each other learn to cope with the crisis of loss. There are structured activities through which children and families develop a sense of competence both in their ability to cope and in their social skills.

Volunteer mentors are trained in how to support children in the crisis of loss. They facilitate activities that help children stay connected to the missing parent, to the family, to the community, and to their culture. Programs are child directed giving children a sense of power over their own lives and competence in their capacity to deal with problems. We are family centered focusing on positive relationships, communication within families, and nurturance. “Kids hurt too” takes the positive youth development approach a step further, embracing our youth by developing positive families and communities.

One of the problems commonly associated with grief after parent loss is a decrease in academic performance. Children have trouble concentrating, and remembering while they are developing new coping skills. Their learning styles change as they tend to rely more on visual information because language comprehension becomes more difficult. If we don't provide early intervention, this can last for years, leading to poor grades, criticism from parents and teachers, truancy, and dropping out. Young people are likely to develop a sense of failure and incompetence.

Don't let children fail. Decrease their workload, get them tutoring, give them incentives, and above all stay positive by focusing on their strengths. Parents may not be able to provide their children with the needed support as they are grieving too. The burden falls to our schools that may not have the expertise, time, or resources. "Kids hurt too" is working to establish a place where we can offer tutoring and job skills training to grieving youth. Please help us help them.