The Greater Littleton Youth Initiative’s mission is to promote healthy youth development through:

• Providing a supportive environment through a permanent community network for groups and individuals
  
• Reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors
  
• Increasing the support for effective existing programs and introducing promising new programs
  
• Building and sustaining community awareness and involvement
  

Following the tragedy at Columbine High School, the Initiative was formed by the City of Littleton, Arapahoe County, Littleton Public Schools, Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health District, South Suburban Parks and Recreation, the South Metro Denver Chamber, the 18th Judicial District, members of churches and other organizations, and citizens who care about the young people of the Greater Littleton community.

The City of Littleton’s Mayor, Susan Thornton, and the Littleton City Council, adopted a philosophy of prevention to support greater Littleton youth. Aided by research from the GLYI, the council approved the allocation of $100,000 from the City’s Annual General Fund to the Greater Littleton Youth Initiative’s programs.

The GLYI, in turn, has used its resources over the years to introduce, sustain, and grow “Blueprint Programs” in our community. Blueprints are prevention and intervention programs that meet a strict scientific standard of effectiveness. Littleton City Council’s funding of the Blueprint programs remains in place today.

Littleton is investing in the future of our youth through prevention... more information on the Blueprint Programs.

In addition to providing financial support for Blueprint programs, the GLYI is charged with identifying, and where appropriate, supporting effective programs that benefit the lives of greater Littleton youth. While not financial in nature, this support comes in a variety of forms.

Two important community-based programs that the GLYI endorses are The Village Preschool and the Community Suicide Prevention Project (CSPP): Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)... more information on these programs.