Our Mission and Priorities

young mother and daughter

Mission and Vision

There are nearly 10 million young people ages 0-24 in Texas and many are in situations that put them at risk for abuse or neglect, criminal justice system involvement, or homelessness – all of which can be prevented.  The mission of Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) is to strengthen services and support for Texas youth and families to help them overcome challenges and achieve healthy development. Our members share a vision of Texas where all youth and young adults are valued, their strengths are recognized, their voices are heard and respected, and they have access to the resources, opportunities, and support they need to meet their goals.

TNOYS Approach

Our work is guided by a comprehensive systems change approach:

  • Policy – We advocate for public policies and priorities to strengthen youth and families.
  • Practice – Our training and program development services ensure that those in the field and on the front lines are fully equipped to provide the highest quality services to meet the complex needs of youth and families they serve.
  • Partnership – We work in partnership with young people to demonstrate what youth are capable of when they have opportunities to use their voices and when people invest in them.

TNOYS Priority Areas

We use our unique comprehensive systems change approach to focus in on key value areas that research indicates are key to achieving our vision of a healthy future for Texas:

  1. Equity and Inclusion
  2. Youth Voice and Youth/Adult Partnership
  3. Research & Performance-Driven Programming
  4. Cross-Systems Collaboration