Our Mission: Transforming the lives of youth by providing the support, stability, and skills they need to flourish in the community and in their families.
OUR PURPOSE
Every young person can live their life with joy and purpose, confident in their ability to decide their own path.

1:1
mentoring in connected communities
300+
active youth
In the communities we serve, youth experience poverty and three times the adversity of their peers. Beyond the instability and insecurity that makes it difficult to meet their most basic needs, these youth experience social, emotional, and cognitive obstacles that bar them from living the joyful, purposeful life that every young person deserves.
At New Pathways for Youth, we are changing that. We are building a future where every young person can live their life with joy and purpose, confident in their ability to decide their own path.
To make it happen, we provide 1:1 mentoring with a dedicated adult and a proven program for personal growth, including tailored goal-setting and connection to vital resources, all within a supportive peer group. In doing so, we’re transforming the lives of youth by providing the support, stability, and skills they and their families need to flourish.
Each of our youth receives tailored action planning and support according to their needs and personal goals, as well as connections to critical resources for personal well-being, and daily necessities that support the youth’s entire family, ranging from housing assistance to food security to emergency relief. All of this is complemented by 1:1 support from an adult mentor within a group of peers in order to build stable, nurturing, life-changing relationships.
Our holistic, research-based program, called Level Up, is proven to generate remarkable outcomes for the youth we serve – from improved mental health and personal wellness to academic success and greater high school graduation rates. We give them the tools and resources to not only achieve safe, healthy lives, but find fulfilling career paths, seize new opportunities, and enhance their relationships with their families, peers, and all those around them.
With the support of the entire New Pathways community, youth are able to transform their lives and confidently find their own path to fulfillment.
The Youth We Serve
New Pathways for Youth serves youth facing poverty and 3x the adversity of their peers. The youth we serve are ages 13 to 21, 94% BIPOC, and have an ACE score of 3 or more (ACE = adverse childhood experiences).
Service Map

Our approach
Our program is holistic. We are focused on all aspects of our youth’s inner development as well as their outer environments, focusing on three key aspects: relationships, education, and employment.
Become a mentor
If you’re ready to make an impact (or know somebody who is), we are always welcoming potential mentors to our mentor introduction sessions.
Youth enrollment
When our youth experience the support and personal development that our program offers, they feel unstoppable.
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Recent news and events
July 8, 2026
Our First Summer Fair & Hoops Tournament Inspires Youth Through Sports, Creativity, and Community Support
Phoenix, AZ | July 8, 2026 On June 27, New Pathways for Youth proudly hosted its first-ever Summer Fair & Hoops Tournament at the Westside Multigenerational Center in Tempe, bringing together almost 100 participants, including youth, ...
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July 1, 2026
250 Years of Becoming: How Immigrants and Young People Have Always Shaped America
A Reflection on the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the United States, by New Pathways for Youth CEO Karen Johnson Phoenix, AZ | July 1, 2026 On July 4, ...
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June 30, 2026
Two Years of the Mentorship Blueprint: A Fresh Look for a Resource That’s Growing With Our Community
Phoenix, AZ | June 30, 2026 Nearly two years ago, we launched the Mentorship Blueprint Podcast with a simple but powerful idea: to create a space where real conversations about mentorship could reach ...
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