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Council recognizes Youth Guidance Boston and spotlights outcomes from Becoming A Man and Working On Womanhood programs
Summary
The council read a resolution honoring Youth Guidance Boston and heard testimony from executive director Sean Brown and a program alumnus about attendance, grades and graduation gains among participants.
The Boston City Council on March 31 formally recognized Youth Guidance Boston and heard remarks from the nonprofit’s executive director and a program alumnus about impacts from the Becoming A Man (BAM) and Working on Womanhood (WOW) school‑based initiatives.
Sean Brown, executive director of Youth Guidance Boston, presented preliminary Boston Public Schools (BPS) data for the 2023–24 school year and described program results: more than 68% of BAM and WOW participants maintained or improved high attendance (defined in the presentation as 90%+ for high school and 95%+ for middle school), 91% failed no more than one semester course in a core subject, and 84% of BAM/WOW 12th graders graduated at the end of the academic year. Brown said the program’s target goals were 60% for attendance, 75% for course pass metrics, and noted the overall BPS graduation rate reported by DESE as 80%.
An alumnus, identified in the meeting as Thomas (a BAM graduate and college junior), described mentorship and school support he received through Youth Guidance and said the program materially affected his educational trajectory and sense of opportunity.
The councilor leading the recognition read a resolution acknowledging Youth Guidance Boston’s work, endorsing its BAM and WOW programs and encouraging continued support and partnership to expand services. The resolution was presented and members joined for a photo with Youth Guidance staff and program participants; the record shows a ceremonial recognition rather than a docketed appropriation.
Why it matters: presenters emphasized that BAM and WOW are evidence‑based, school‑centered interventions that pair mentoring, group counseling and trauma‑informed supports. Brown said a persistent barrier is program eligibility: BAM and WOW operate in 12 BPS schools, and students outside those schools must rely on other supports. He said expanding access across city schools is a program priority.
What’s next: the council provided the recognition and urged continued partnership between Youth Guidance, BPS and city departments. No appropriation or ordinance accompanied the recognition; the item was listed on the meeting agenda as a ceremonial presentation.
