The goal is to become a better person. Every day, find a way to improve.
For Matt Young, that meant becoming a better man, a better husband, a better father.
And a better mentor.
He struggled in his school years, with undiagnosed dyslexia, a tough home life, and a less-than-stellar attitude.
Today, he uses the tools he has learned as an adult and brings them to the youth of Vancouver.
“I’m not a victim. I’m victorious,” Young said. “I’ve learned how to take the cards I was dealt and become the person I am today. That’s a powerful message.”
That is the message of Vancouver Elite Outreach, founded by Young 16 years ago with the mission to teach youth invaluable life skills through mentorship. Another goal of the outreach, noted in the logo: Save one kid at a time.
Vancouver Elite Outreach just happens to be one of the sponsors for Live Love Outreach’s Back to School Bash, which is coming up Aug. 15 at Living Hope Church. That event, from noon to 3 p.m., will provide school supplies for families in need, as well as clothing, food, and haircuts. There will also be resources available for families to seek out help with tutors or more for their children who are about to go back to school.
The school experience is near and dear to Young’s heart, because he had such a tough time growing up, first in Portland and then Vancouver. An outstanding basketball player for Hudson’s Bay High School, he ended up quitting in the middle of his senior year.
Angry. Frustrated. Confused. And a bit scared. He was about to become a teenage parent.
Heck, it would not be until his early 20s when he was diagnosed with dyslexia.
He has vivid memories of his struggles at home and in school, but as an adult he learned new skills and provided himself with the tools to improve himself, every day.
Matt Young and his friends wanted to provide those learning tools to today’s youth, through Vancouver Elite Outreach. The outreach program primarily focuses on boys and girls ages 11 through 18.
Young wishes he had mentors when he was that age.
“I was lost,” he recalled. “I’ve got a baby on the way, and I’m still a baby. My world was shattered. I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know what was next.”
He also said he was not a very good person to those around him.
“I didn’t even know who to talk to,” he said. “I didn’t know how to connect with people, to get help.”
As soon as it clicked, though, as soon as he started to figure out his life, he wanted to make sure he could use his own journey to help others.
“In every stage of life, you need somebody with experience to guide you,” he said.
One of the lessons is to continually emphasize to teenagers that it is OK to ask questions.
“I’ve learned how to ask for help. Sometimes your pride doesn’t allow you to ask for help,” Young said.
At Vancouver Elite Outreach, the goal is to show up and meet youth with love.
“We want to reach those kids who are struggling with social, emotional trauma,” Young said.
The outreach is headquartered at Living Hope Church, but the goal, Young said, is to move into its own facility, to become an academy of sorts for academics, life skills, and more.
Vancouver Elite Outreach has had several career days, with employees from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office explaining their jobs, as well as a trip to C-TRAN for that organization to showcase the many career opportunities.
“It’s a launch pad for kids to discover their passion and live their dreams,” Young said of the outreach program.
Matt and his wife Rachael help run the outreach program and also have jobs outside the program. They are proud of their association with Living Hope Church, and the upcoming Back to School Bash.
“It’s a chance to shed light on the Fourth Plain corridor,” Young said of the bash. “Maybe there are families that are struggling. Bring your family.”
The Back to School Bash is from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15 at Living Hope Church, 2711 NE Andresen Rd., Vancouver.
