How Topeka Youth Project is reaching out to teens who may be struggling with mental health

Topeka Youth Project has long helped teenagers find jobs and learn about courts.

But a new program that nonprofit is initiating seeks to serve an even more vital purpose: Keeping teens alive.

"Kaleidoscope of Help and Hope" is the name of that initiative, which focuses on suicide awareness and prevention.

The program has been started by Andrea "Andie" Ard, Topeka Youth Project's executive director since January 2022.

Ard is working to bring new energy, programs and curriculum to that 40-year-old nonprofit after its operations were scaled back amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Helping the 'lost and lonely'

Ard said this past week that she feared a few years ago that her youngest daughter was going to die of suicide.

A close friend of Ard's daughter had died of a pulmonary embolism when they were in fifth grade, and another died of suicide when they were in seventh grade, Ard said.

Ard's daughter became depressed and suicidal.

Ard's emotional state also suffered, as she awoke daily fearing she'd find her daughter deceased.

But she and her daughter pulled through in a manner that involved helping themselves by helping others.

'Basically, we would just chat'

They created a Facebook page focusing on suicide awareness and prevention called "Kaleidoscope of Help and Hope," where they shared messages of positivity and hope with the "lost and lonely," Ard said.

A group of butterflies is called a "kaleidoscope," with that name coming from the array of colors and patterns their many fluttering wings create.

After Ard and her daughter started the Kaleidoscope of Help and Hope page, they began hearing back from people ranging in age from 12 to 60, Ard said.

Many simply needed someone to talk to, she said.

"Basically we would just chat," she said. "It was basically: 'Hey, how's your day? What's going on?'"

If anyone needed help beyond that, Ard said, she'd give them phone numbers they could call to get that help.

More: Program helps teens build job skills

'I wouldn't be here today'

Ard said she would later find out Kaleidoscope of Help and Hope saved the lives of at least two people.

"They came back a couple years later and said, "If it wasn't for you talking to me that night and giving me that phone number, I wouldn't be here today," she said.

Kaleidoscope of Help and Hope will now be among the programs offered by Topeka Youth Project.

That nonprofit plans as part of that program to maintain "ambassadors" in local high schools.

Further details can be found on the Topeka Youth Project website.

More: Topeka Youth Project recognizes young workers

What is Topeka Youth Project?

Topeka Youth Project, created in 1983, is dedicated to providing youths the tools they need to start their path in life with a strong foundation, according to its website.

The nonprofit maintains an office in Suite H04 at West Ridge Mall, 1801 S.W. Wanamaker Road.

Topeka Youth Project dates back to the Menninger Foundation psychiatric clinic's initiation in 1969 of a program called the "Carriage House," in response to emerging concerns about teen drug use, Ard said.

Menninger professionals volunteered their time in community service for Carriage House, she said.

Ard said the Carriage House grew out of the "Southard School" maintained by the Menninger Foundation, a fact confirmed for her by retired Menninger CEO Walt Menninger, who is among Topeka Youth Project's supporters.

Job training and youth court

Topeka Youth Project has long been known for the job training and coaching program it offers for youths and young adults ages 14 to 21 and its "Youth Court" restorative justice program, which enables youths 14 to 18 to have cases involving first-time infractions heard in an atmosphere where the attorneys, judge and jury are all fellow teens.

Those initiatives continue to operate.

Topeka Youth Project also offers a program through which it makes the best graduates from its job training program available as job candidates to local businesses, Ard said.

Here's how to help

Ard hopes in particular to connect with potential corporate sponsors and to create partnerships with local small businesses.

She can be reached at Topeka Youth Project at 785-273-4141 or executivedirector@topekayouthproject.com.

Donations may be made on Topeka Youth Project's website.

People may volunteer on the latter website to help the nonprofit with its programs.

Topeka Youth Project is also working to get the word out about the 25th annual fundraising golf tournament it will have June 24 at the Great Life Golf & Fitness course at 913 S.E. 29th, which was formerly Shawnee Country Club.

Ard hopes to find a corporate sponsor for that tournament, she said.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Preventing teen suicide is focus of new Topeka Youth Project program