The Challenge

Young people throughout Milwaukee and the surrounding area are navigating adolescence and early adulthood while facing challenges that can affect their safety, stability, emotional well-being, and opportunities for the future.

Community violence, poverty, housing instability, family stress, trauma, and limited access to supportive resources can interfere with school engagement, healthy relationships, confidence, and preparation for adulthood. Youth are often expected to make significant life decisions while still learning how to manage emotions, communicate their needs, recognize healthy relationships, and advocate for themselves.

The issue is not a lack of potential. Young people have strengths, ideas, talents, and goals. However, not every youth has consistent access to trusted adults, meaningful opportunities, practical guidance, or networks capable of responding when barriers emerge.

Services may also be fragmented across schools, behavioral health providers, housing programs, employers, and community organizations. Without someone helping youth understand and navigate these systems, valuable resources can remain out of reach.

Young people need more than short-term programming. They need relationships they can trust, opportunities to develop real-world skills, and communities that continue believing in them as they grow.

The Solution

Mentorship is at the heart of Walking in by Faith, Inc.

WIBF surrounds youth and young adults ages 11–24 with trusted relationships, individualized guidance, practical skill development, and meaningful opportunities. We meet young people within the realities of their lives while maintaining high expectations for their growth and potential.

Through individual mentoring, group programming, community-based activities, and collaborative partnerships, WIBF supports development across the following areas:

• Mentoring and Youth Development: Consistent relationships that strengthen confidence, identity, leadership, decision-making, healthy relationships, and positive community connections.

• Social-Emotional Skill Development: Evidence-informed programming that helps youth strengthen emotional regulation, coping, communication, problem-solving, resilience, and self-awareness.

• Life Skills and Future Readiness: Practical preparation for adulthood through independent living skills, financial literacy, education and career exploration, goal development, organization, and self-advocacy.

• Resource Navigation and Barrier Reduction: Individualized support connecting youth and families with community resources, specialized services, educational opportunities, and other supports that contribute to progress.

• Housing Stability: Support with identifying and navigating housing-related resources for youth experiencing instability. WIBF’s long-term vision includes developing transitional living opportunities that combine stable housing, mentorship, and preparation for independent adulthood.

• Faith, Purpose, and Personal Growth: Opportunities for young people to strengthen hope, explore their values, recognize their strengths, and pursue a future grounded in purpose.

WIBF recognizes that no single organization can or should meet every need of a young person. Our role is to build relationships strong enough to recognize when barriers emerge and a community network strong enough to respond.

Through partnerships with schools, community organizations, behavioral health providers, employers, housing resources, creative and cultural institutions, and other youth-serving systems, WIBF connects young people with opportunities and specialized support while continuing to provide mentorship and encouragement throughout their journey.

Walking in by Faith is more than a program youth complete. It is a relationship they can grow with.

We walk alongside young people as they discover their strengths, navigate challenges, access opportunities, and build a foundation for a future rooted in purpose, stability, faith, and hope.