Project RISE

Healthy Youth, Healthy Communities

What Is Project RISE?

Project RISE 2026–2029 is Kids In Konflict’s three‑year initiative to support the health, safety, and well-being of children and teens in Riverside County’s underserved neighborhoods. The initiative grew out of the 2024–25 Youth Elevate Grant from the Sierra Health Foundation and was shaped directly by the voices of hundreds of young people. Through youth listening sessions and surveys, young people shared what they face every day—falling behind in school, stress at home, peer pressure toward risky behaviors, not feeling a sense of belonging, limited opportunities to connect with their community, limited leadership opportunities, lack of access to safe parks and green open spaces, and challenges accessing behavioral‑health support.

Their voices, together with guidance from trusted community partners, helped us build a community‑centered public‑health framework focused on strengthening protective factors and reducing risks. At its core, Project RISE works to create the vital conditions youth and families need to thrive across Riverside County’s underserved neighborhoods.

Project RISE Priorities

· Education & Literacy: Expands equitable access to academic support, tutoring, and enrichment opportunities that boost achievement, close literacy gaps, and promote lifelong learning.

· Social Connection & Civic Engagement: Cultivates belonging, emotional well-being, and resilience while empowering youth and families to participate in civic life, shape community solutions, and strengthen social support networks.

· Violence Prevention & Justice Diversion: Reduces youth justice involvement through prevention strategies, restorative practices, and behavioral‑health supports that keep young people connected to school, family, and positive community environments.

Project RISE brings these priorities to life through three connected interventions that blend education, mental health support, and community engagement. Together, they create a circle of care around youth—lifting up their strengths, reducing risks, and building healthier families and stronger communities.

Evidence-Based Core Interventions

Intervention 1: Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Care

 Project RISE expands access to behavioral health services through a Behavioral Health Case Management Program implemented in partnership with Heritage Health Network and Promising Outlook. The program provides individualized support that promotes emotional wellness, improves school engagement, and helps youth and families navigate complex systems of care.

Core Services

  • Intake and comprehensive assessment

  • Individualized case planning and goal setting

  • School attendance and engagement support

  • Crisis prevention and emotional-regulation coaching

  • Trauma-informed care and guidance

  • Family engagement and support

  • Navigation of school, court, probation, and social-service systems

  • Resource coordination and service referrals

  • Ongoing progress monitoring

  • Medi-Cal documentation and care coordination

Through consistent, relationship-based support, this intervention helps stabilize youth and families while improving long-term outcomes.

Intervention 2: Increasing Access to Social and Community Support

Project RISE strengthens social support networks through school-based and community-based programs that serve youth facing elevated behavioral health risks, academic disruptions, emotional regulation challenges, and increased vulnerability to violence or justice-system involvement.

Through partnerships with community organizations such as AbleWorks, youth receive:

  • Individual and group mentoring

  • Academic enrichment and tutoring

  • Social-emotional learning opportunities

  • Expressive writing and arts-based programming

  • Visuals That Speak community and web-based exhibitions

  • Financial literacy education

  • Presentations from caring adult guest speakers

  • Skill-building activities that promote emotional regulation, resilience, and positive decision-making

  • Student conferences

  • Monitoring academic and behavioral performance

  • Career readiness

  • Healing circles

  • Support for student athletes to overcome post‑injury mental blocks and rebuild confidence and body trust

These integrated supports are designed to increase school engagement, strengthen protective factors, reduce risk factors associated with violence, and deepen participants’ connections to caring adults, positive peer relationships, and community resources. By fostering a strong network of support, Project RISE helps youth build the skills, confidence, and sense of belonging necessary for long-term academic, social, and emotional success.

Intervention 3: Increasing Access to Literacy, Outdoor Science & Civiv Action

Project RISE expands opportunities for literacy and science learning through two research‑based programs that strengthen reading proficiency, critical thinking, social‑emotional development, environmental awareness, and civic engagement.

Developmental Bibliotherapy Program

Project RISE uses Developmental Bibliotherapy, an evidence‑informed approach that integrates culturally responsive literature with guided discussion to support literacy and social‑emotional growth. Research shows that bibliotherapy can increase reading engagement, comprehension, empathy, self‑awareness, and resilience. Through interactive read‑alouds, reflective conversations, and collaborative reading activities, students build fluency, vocabulary, and critical‑thinking skills while exploring themes of identity, perseverance, and healthy decision‑making. Led by a bilingual Spanish Child and Adolescent Development Specialist and author, the program provides developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant learning experiences that support both academic achievement and personal growth.

Outdoor Science and Civic Action Through the UC California Naturalist Program

Project RISE provides youth with opportunities to become UC California Naturalists by participating in the University of California’s UC California Naturalist Program. Guided by a bilingual Spanish UC‑Certified Naturalist, students investigate local ecosystems, natural resources, and the built environment while examining environmental conditions that affect community health and well‑being. Through hands‑on observation, scientific inquiry, and community‑based learning, youth identify local environmental challenges and develop solution‑oriented, youth‑led civic action projects. Each cohort presents its findings and recommendations to local decision‑makers and community leaders as a call to action. This experience strengthens public‑speaking skills, civic muscle, leadership, and confidence while empowering youth to contribute meaningful solutions to community issues.

Project RISE 2026–2029 is grounded in the belief that healthy communities create healthy youth. By expanding access to education, behavioral health care, supportive relationships, and civic engagement opportunities, the initiative empowers young people to thrive and become active contributors to safer, stronger, and more equitable communities.

Contact: kikrise@yahoo.com to request more information.