At YouMeWe we believe every young person deserves support and the chance to build their future.
Our Fostering Higher Education (FHE) program supports youth aging out of foster care as they work toward higher education. This post gives a simple overview of what FHE is and why it matters.
Thank you for learning more about FHE with us
Before a child can learn anything from you, they need to know you're coming back.
Many of the young people we support have grown up with adults who disappeared. A caseworker transferred. A volunteer who stopped showing up. A teacher who moved on. Over time, the brain starts treating new adults as temporary by default. It's a survival response, not a behaviour problem.
So when a volunteer shows up at the same time, every single week, something shifts. Not overnight. But slowly, the wall comes down a little. And that's when real learning can begin.
You don't need to be a perfect tutor. You just need to be consistent. That reliability is the lesson, long before any English grammar gets taught.
We're opening our next volunteer intake soon. If you have two hours a week and you're willing to show up, we'd love to hear from you. Link in bio or email us at [email protected]
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #SocialImpact #fortheyouth
Today, Kodomo no Hi, we celebrate children.
At YouMeWe, we celebrate our kids by showing up every week to watch the children grow up.
This photo taken in 2018…she is now part of our weekly classes.
When she did her Territory map her wish was a world where no one dies.
She herself wants to walk on the moon.
We love seeing her grow into the young lady she is and appreciate the unique opportunity to be witness to her life and story.
We’re proud to be a beneficiary of this year’s Tokyo Yamathon.
Tokyo Yamathon brings teams together to take on all 30 stations of the Yamanote Line while raising funds for nonprofits, and we’re grateful to be part of it. Every step helps support children in institutional homes as they prepare for life after 18.
Join the walk, support the cause, and share this with someone who should be there.
#YouMeWeNPO #TokyoYamathon #YouthEmpowerment #SocialImpact #Fundraising
Every Koinobori that flies this season carries a wish for children to grow up strong, brave, and ready for whatever the current brings.
For the children living in institutional homes that we support, that is not just a wish. It is their daily reality. They swim upstream. They keep going. And the courage we see in them, week after week, is something we never take for granted.
But no one swims alone.
Our community, volunteers, donors, tutors dialing in from Tokyo to Manila, is the current that lifts them. Seventeen years of showing up. That is what YouMeWe is built on.
This Children's Day, we are inviting you to join us. Our upcoming fundraising event is a chance to be part of something that genuinely changes the direction of a young person's life.
Please take part in our upcoming Pub Quiz:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScqF.../viewform
Happy Philippine Labor Day!
On a day that honors hard work, we want to take a moment to honor the people whose work often goes unseen.
To our house parents who are there every single morning and every single night. To our local staff who keep everything running. To the volunteers in our community, especially those at PHINMA Metrotowne, who give their time, energy, and heart to the young people we support. Thank you. Truly.
This is a labor of love in every sense of the word. And because of you, children who grew up in institutional care are growing into young adults with skills, confidence, and a real shot at the future they deserve.
We have been doing this work for 17 years, and the one constant is the community of people who refuse to give up on these kids. You are the reason we keep going.
If you have been thinking about volunteering with YouMeWe, today is a great day to take that step. We would love to have you with us.
Send us a message, email us at [email protected], or visit youmewenpo.org to find out how you can get
The myth: learning happens best in a quiet, organized space.
The reality at our sessions: tangled cords, shared snacks, multiple conversations running at the same time, and kids who are actually engaged because none of it feels like a test.
That relaxed energy is not a distraction. It is the whole point. When the pressure is low, the questions come out. When it feels like hanging out, the learning sneaks in.
We have a 2-hour volunteer session coming up. Bring your energy, your patience, and maybe some snacks. The kids will meet you right there. YouMeWe
Nobody has to know everything. That's kind of the whole point.
When a student gets stuck, one volunteer picks up where another left off. Someone explains it one way, someone else tries a different angle. Before long, the concept clicks.
That's what our study sessions look like. Two hours, a small group, and a whole lot of tag-teaming to get the job done.
No pressure to have all the answers. Just show up and be part of the village.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #SocialImpact #fortheyouth See less
Some job skills start long before a first paycheck.
This student lives on an island off Nagasaki and is studying game creation because it is something he wants to pursue as a career. Through the internet, he can learn, create, and connect with Diplomat Dan in the USA.
What may look like a personal interest is already building real workplace skills - problem-solving, persistence, communication, and the confidence to keep learning.
What is one everyday life skill or personal passion that made you stronger at work?
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #CareerReadiness #SocialImpact
Happy Labor Day to everyone in the Philippines.
Today we want to stop and say thank you, genuinely, to the house parents, local staff, and the incredible volunteers in our community, including those at PHINMA Metrotowne, who show up day after day for the young people in our care.
What you do is not easy. It is not always visible. But it matters more than words can say. Every meal prepared, every homework session, every moment you choose to stay and listen, that is the real work. And it is building real futures.
If you have been thinking about volunteering, now is the time. Come join us.
Reach out at [email protected] or visit youmewenpo.org to learn more.
#LaborDayPH #VolunteerAppreciation #CommunitySupport #YouthEmpowerment #YouMeWeNPO
May hits different.
The new school year energy is real in April. New uniforms, new goals, fresh starts. Then May arrives and that momentum quietly slips away. Gogatsubyo, the May Blues, is something a lot of students know but rarely talk about.
For the kids we support, that slump can feel heavier without a steady person in their corner.
That's what our volunteers are. Not just tutors. The person who shows up every week, same time, same care, no matter what.
If you have a few hours this May, come be that anchor. Sign up for a session and let's get through this month together.
Link in bio to join us.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #SocialImpact #fortheyouth
We’re excited to host a Cultural Day with Matsubaen and our CSR partner Societe Generale in Tokyo on Saturday, May 23, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Together with the children, we’ll learn about France and make crepes, sharing culture through food, conversation, and hands-on experience.
Thank you to Matsubaen and Societe Generale for making this day possible.
#YouMeWeNPO #CulturalDay #SocieteGenerale #Tokyo #YouthEmpowerment
Quiz night is almost here! YouMeWe and KIWL are hosting a charity pub quiz at Hobgoblin Pub on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 PM.
Join us for trivia, prizes, raffle, and good vibes, all while supporting the children we work with every day. We are also accepting donations to use as prizes for the quiz.
クイズナイトがもうすぐ開催されます！ YouMeWeとKIWLが、5月13日（水）、19:30からホブゴブリンパブでチャリティ・パブクイズを開催します。クイズや景品、抽選を楽しみながら、施設に住む子供たちを支援することができます。また、クイズの景品の寄付を募集しております。
For prize donations, please contact us at / 景品の寄付については、[email protected] までご連絡ください。
Bring your team and sign up through the link below!
ぜひチームでご参加ください。お申し込みはこちらから！https://docs.google.com/.../1ueKCuQkkj7d2Oa0MKigs.../edit...
First time volunteering with youth in care? It can feel like a lot. Here are 3 things that actually help from day one.
1. Let them lead the topic
Don't come in with an agenda. Ask what they want to talk about or work on. When they choose, they're already practicing agency.
2. Sit side-by-side, not across
A desk between you sends a signal. Sitting next to them says you're on the same team.
3. Praise the effort, not just the answer
"You kept trying even when it got hard" lands differently than "correct." It's the kind of feedback that sticks.
You don't need to have all the answers. You just need to show up.
We have sessions coming up and we'd love to have you. Click the link in our bio to sign up or send us a DM.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #VolunteerTips #AlternativeCare #SocialImpact
St Francis April 27th
This week at St. Francis, the children explored the topic of Breaking News and learned about the risk associated with believing information prematurely. They also practiced using a critical eye to analyze news by asking questions like: Is this real or fake? Who is sharing it? What evidence supports it?
After the lesson, the students created their own Kahoot quizzes! They chose their own themes, including sports, history, and other topics they were interested in. Then, they came up with questions and searched for answers, becoming critical thinkers and creators themselves. 💙
A big thank you to all of our volunteers who helped support the students during the activity. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please contact us at [email protected].
Even More on the Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an international program for people ages 14-24 that aims to develop important life skills based on the individual interests of each participant. The core purpose is to build confidence and independence for young people while they pursue their personal goals. There are 3 levels that participants may complete: Bronze, Silver and Gold.
All participants must be committed to do volunteering in some capacity that is relevant to their personal interests and goals. This can be tutoring, joining community service, or other types of activities that improve your local community. This is an essential cornerstone of the program and participants must volunteer on a regular basis over a certain period of time in order to move on with the next level. We believe this is an important part for YouMeWe’s participants as it will help them develop consistency, resilience and active learning through practical tasks.
Listen to the testimonies of participants here:
More on the Duke of Edinburgh
2026 has been a year of new opportunities for YouMeWe! We are happy to announce that in accordance with our mission of supporting children and teenagers in becoming successful and independent adults, we have been selected for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
This is an important milestone in YouMeWe’s journey as an NPO, as we are now working in collaboration with an organization that shares our mission and values. Under the mentorship program that the Duke of Edinburgh Award offers, YouMeWe has a unique opportunity to encourage Japanese youth to have a better future for themselves.
Learn more about the award in the video below:
https://youtu.be/ctfn4BeI38c
Introducing the Duke of Edinburgh Award
YouMeWe has been welcomed as a partner for The Duke of Edinburgh Award.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an education and learning framework that encourages personal growth through activities in volunteering, physical recreation, and adventure.
We are honored for this opportunity.
