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Maryland's Young Men and Boys (YMB) Initiative

Maryland's

Young Men and Boys Initiative

An all-of-government response across state agencies, philanthropy, and the private sector ensuring every young man and boy has the pathways to thrive.

"In Maryland, we are going to be a state that sees our young men and boys not as problems to be solved, but as assets to be unearthed."

- Governor Wes Moore

What is the Initiative?

A tailored framework built to optimize systemic impact.

Cross-Sector Coordination

The state's first unified engine bridging resources across agencies and communities at critical life intervention moments.

A Tailored Response

Addressing distinct bottlenecks in mental health, education, and career development unreached by generic youth programming.

A Force Multiplier

YMB does not duplicate efforts. We dismantle bureaucratic silos and elevate existing public investments.

4x Higher The male suicide rate in Maryland relative to females.

Targeted Goals

Reduce male suicide rates and advance holistic wellbeing.
Increase young adult male labor force participation.
Cultivate meaningful non-parental mentor relationships.
De-escalate recidivism trends among emerging adults.

Strategic Pillars

Core areas of concentration backed by data and lived experience.

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Mental and Physical Health

Expanding culturally responsive mental health networks and actively reducing systemic help-seeking stigma.

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Economic Opportunity

Accelerating entry points into living-wage apprenticeships, high-demand careers, and vital HEAL fields.

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Family and Community Engagement

Strengthening civic bonds through active mentorship, community service, and restorative justice options.

The Strategy in Motion

How we build and scale sustainable progress.

Listen and Coordinate

Synchronize state agency partners and directly audit current resource frameworks.

Develop Strategy

Formalize multi-agency work plans and integrate targeted YMB priorities into existing policies.

Implement and Measure

Launch synchronized programs while aggressively blending public, federal, and philanthropic funding streams.

Key Initiatives & Partnerships

Driving systemic change across education, research, and community-based mentorship.

AIR Partnership: Turning Insight into Action ↗

$6M Research Framework

Statewide program asset mapping.
Active Communities of Practice in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties.
Targeted implementation playbooks to scale local successes.

Uplifting Male Educators: Grow-Your-Own Program ↗

Grow-Your-Own Pathways

$19M in Grants: Promotes debt-free licensing options for public school support staff.
Male Pipelines: Prioritizes funding to recruit male educators (currently only 23% of MD teachers).
Dual Return: Resolves classroom staff shortages while establishing key male mentors inside local schools.

Proven Programs: Big Brothers Big Sisters Expansion ↗

Scaling Impactful Mentorship

1,000 More Youth: Expands Big Brothers Big Sisters community-based mentoring models to an additional 1,000 young people.
Alleviating Backlogs: Directly targeted to lift waitlist congestion containing hundreds of regional youth awaiting mentor matching.
Focused Strategy: Confronts specific disparities given that the overwhelming majority of youth stranded on these backlogs are boys.

Not a Zero-Sum Approach

Investing in young men does not reduce Maryland’s commitments to women and girls. Engaged, supported men actively champion gender equality and solidify community outcomes for everyone.

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