About us
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A complete pathway of support
Rising Tide Youth Movement is an innovative youth program in Portsmouth, VA, dedicated to empowering resilient youth and families through education, mentorship, and leadership development. As a holistic youth development nonprofit, we aim to nurture scholars, strengthen family bonds, and build bright futures. We believe in the transformative power of education and holistic care to uplift communities and create sustainable change.
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We accomplish this through the E³ framework: Engage, Educate, Elevate. This complete pathway of support for youth and families is grounded in research on positive youth development. The studies show that young people thrive when they experience:
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Supportive relationships
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High-quality learning opportunities
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Clear pathways to contribution and opportunity
(especially in community and after-school settings)
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MISSION
Rising Tide Youth Movement empowers aspiring youth and families by providing pathways to holistic development and economic opportunity, building thriving communities across generations.
VISION
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​We envision a future where every youth and family, regardless of background or circumstance, has the tools, opportunities, and support to rise, thrive, and lead thriving communities for generations to come.
What makes us unique
Rising Tide Youth Movement uniquely empowers whole families by combining early intervention, wellness access, academic support, and career readiness into a single, integrated pathway.
We support aspiring youth and their families across life's critical transitions, ensuring that success is not just achieved but sustained across generations. Our E³ framework incorporates these many elements:
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Youth development programs
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Teen/youth mentoring
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Youth leadership initiatives
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After-school programs
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Summer programs for youth
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STEM camps for youth
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Youth enrichment programs
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Youth empowerment programs
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Youth advocacy
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Teen camps
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Reading & literacy programs
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Academic support & homework help
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College and career readiness
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​Workforce readiness programs Financial literacy for youth
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Life skills training
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Social-emotional learning
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Youth mental wellness workshops
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Parent workshops
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Family engagement programs
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Holistic family support services
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Breaking generational cycles
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Community empowerment
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Equity and opportunity
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Building the leadership pipeline
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Economic opportunity for families
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Generational impact
Key differentiators
FOLLOWS
WHOLE-FAMILY MODEL
We serve the entire family unit.
NOT
helping only the child.
INTEGRATES ALL SERVICES
Education, health, and workforce readiness are linked, not siloed.
NOT
keeping the services siloed.
CREATES
LONG-TERM PATHWAY
We stay with families through transitions.
NOT
just there for one project.
FOCUSES ON SUSTAINING SUCCESS
We are about systemic change.
NOT
providing one-time aid.
Core Values
At Rising Tide Youth Movement, we are guided by the CURRENT:
Community
We believe lasting change comes through strong partnerships and collective action.
Unity
We champion equitable opportunities and inclusivity for all youth and families.
Resilience
We honor the strength and perseverance required to overcome adversity.
Respect
We treat everyone with dignity, empathy, and appreciation for lived experiences.
Excellence
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of impact and innovation.
Nurture
We empower youth and families to grow with confidence, knowledge, and support.
Trust
We act with honesty, integrity, and transparency in all our endeavors.
How E³ and our four program pillars work together
The E³ framework and our four pillars are designed to function as an integrated ecosystem, rather than four separate programs.
A child or family may initially connect through one pillar and then transition across pillars over time as their needs and interests evolve. For example, a family might first connect through a WaveMakers community event, a student might then join Rising Scholars for reading support, later participate in Genius Teen Lab during the summer, and eventually move into Rising Careers programming in high school.
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References
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., & Pachan, M. (2010). A meta-analysis of after-school programs that seek to promote personal and social skills in children and adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45(3–4), 294–309.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-010-9300-6
Eccles, J. S., & Gootman, J. A. (Eds.). (2002). Community programs to promote youth development. National Academies Press.
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10022/community-programs-to-promote-youth-development
Smith, E. P., Witherspoon, D. P., & Osgood, D. W. (2017). Positive youth development among diverse racial and ethnic children: Quality after-school contexts as developmental assets. Child Development, 88(4), 1063–1078.