VISION
That Wichita area youth are united, informed, and involved in an atmosphere of respect and communication and are recognized for their positive contribution to the community.

MISSION
To act as a positive voice for youth; to advise and take action on issues facing the community and give representation in order to bring about positive changes in Sedgwick County through youth involvement.

When Wichita’s Promise Youth Council was formed in 1997, the founding members recognized the importance of having a strong structure to support the organization. Therefore, the following objectives were identified.

>> WPYC will identify issues and take action when appropriate.
To do this, general meetings are held twice a month and youth from all backgrounds are invited to provide input on identified issues. At general meetings, upcoming events and committee actions are discussed, as are new issues in the community.

>> Identify issues in the community through ACTION (Adolescents Coming Together to Inform Others of our Needs).
ACTION is a two-year cycle in which the concerns of youth are collected through focus groups on the even years, and presented through a report to the community on the odd years (Check out the ACTION link for more information). In addition, WPYC forms partnerships with community leaders to address the concerns identified through ACTION and promote an environment of mutual respect between youth and adults. WPYC was formed not only as a benefit to the youth of Sedgwick County but as a benefit to the whole community. Therefore, WPYC maintains communication with city representatives and organizations and meets quarterly with city council, county commissions, school principals and school boards. WPYC is also available to serve as an advisory council to other organizations in the community. Often times, other organizations will contact WPYC for ideas on how to get youth involved or to invite WPYC members to serve on one of their boards.

>> Maintain consistent membership.
WPYC strives to have at least one representative from each high school in Sedgwick County in order to maintain a diverse group of youth. While members do not have to be attending high school, they must be high school aged.

It is also important to establish and maintain a hierarchy in the organization. The Executive Committee – made up of a president, vice-president, and six other members who all are elected by the general membership - oversees the operation and coordination of the entire council and takes on the responsibility of maintaining the integrity of the mission of WPYC. Each Executive Committee member is also responsible for chairing a committee of WPYC. To be considered for Executive Committee, a member must comply with the attendance policy and have been an active member since February 1st of the election year. From the Executive Committee, a president and vice president are elected by the general membership. To be considered for these positions, a member must have been on WPYC for at least one year. The president and vice-president are not responsible for a committee as they oversee the daily function of the council.

Wichita’s Promise Youth Council receives the bulk of its support from the Regional Prevention Center (RPC) of Wichita/Sedgwick County but has also received grant funding from different sources such as the Kansas Health Foundation, Wichita Greyhound Charities, Wichita Community Foundation, Wichita’s Promise, etc. The RPC not only financially supports WPYC, but also provides a full time staff person to see that WPYC runs smoothly.