Youth Empowerment Partner Profile: How Just Say Something Empowers Youth, Strengthens Families, and Builds Healthier Communities
Contributed photo.
Since 1984, Just Say Something has been a powerful force for youth development, family support, and community health across the Upstate of South Carolina. Rooted in the belief that honest conversations can change lives, the organization helps youth, parents, and communities tackle tough topics like risky behavior, substance use, and mental health through education, prevention, and empowerment.
One of the organization’s most impactful offerings is the Strengthening Families Program (SFP), which provides parents and children ages 7 to 17 with tools to improve communication, manage conflict, and grow closer as a family. The 11-week program is free for families in Greenville and Spartanburg Counties and consistently delivers life-changing results. In 2024, 128 families completed the program.
According to Executive Director Phillip Clark, the real impact of SFP goes beyond the numbers.
“Parents often report feeling more confident in their ability to guide their children, while children express feeling heard and understood for the first time,” he says. “Graduation day becomes more than just a ceremony — it’s a celebration of tangible, measurable progress and hope for the future.”
To ensure its programs resonate across South Carolina’s diverse communities, Just Say Something focuses on cultural responsiveness and inclusion.
“We actively partner with local leaders, schools, and grassroots organizations to ensure the language, approach, and content of our programming reflect the unique identities and values of the communities we serve,” says Clark. Facilitators are trained to lead with empathy, and materials are available in multiple languages to meet families where they are.
The organization’s reach extends well beyond the classroom. Its IMPACT Sports Program blends youth athletics with character-building, substance prevention, and emotional development. In 2024, the program served 138 young athletes, helping them gain life skills like discipline, teamwork, and confidence. Programs like these are designed with youth input in mind.
“We don’t just create programming for young people — we make it with them,” Clark says. “When young people have a seat at the table, the results are more engaging, more impactful, and more likely to lead to real change.”
This youth-centered approach carries over to events like the Take It Back Youth Summit, which uses creative expression to empower teens to reclaim their voice, explore mental health topics, and develop leadership skills.
In the broader community, Just Say Something leads public health efforts like AIR PRESERVE, which advocates for smoke- and vape-free environments in public spaces. In 2024, the initiative collected nearly 500 surveys, with more than 97 percent of respondents supporting clean-air policies. These findings have driven local advocacy efforts in cities like Greer, Mauldin, and Travelers Rest.
To address the opioid crisis, Just Say Something launched The Power Collective, a collaboration with law enforcement, mental health organizations, and healthcare providers. The goal is prevention through education and community outreach.
“Too many efforts were happening in silos, and families were falling through the cracks,” says Clark. In 2024, the collective distributed over 41,000 locking pill bottles — an intervention estimated to prevent 13 addiction disorders and save the state more than $31 million in potential economic costs.
For Clark, the core of all this work comes down to one key idea: early, open communication.
“When children know they can talk to their parents without fear of judgment or punishment, they’re more likely to seek guidance and make safer decisions,” he says. By normalizing discussions around substance use, peer pressure, and mental health, families build trust and resilience long before a crisis hits.
Just Say Something is proving that prevention starts at home—and that empowering youth means investing in their families, communities, and voices. Whether on the sports field, in a classroom, or around the dinner table, their message is clear: talk early, talk often, and never underestimate the power of listening.
EYSC is partnering with Just Say Something to distribute Power Collective resource bags and Narcan at the next family movie night with the Charleston County Police Department on August 1. Click here to learn more about Just Say Something’s mission and programs.