By: Hay Soe Editor’s Note At Youthlinc, we believe that the most meaningful way to understand our world is through the lived experiences of others. The following reflection is written by a member of our Real Life team, who works closely with refugee and immigrant youth here in Utah. Real Life exists to support students as they navigate education, identity, and belonging—often while carrying stories that are complex, painful, and deeply human. We share this piece because it re

By: Elizabeth Divis Every year, 12th grade students at Juan Diego Catholic High School participate in the Senior Service Project or Juan Diego Senior Service Week (JDSSW). For a whole week, seniors participate in service opportunities in the community instead of classes. Every senior is assigned to a specific service location, and this year, three students spent the week with Youthlinc’s Real Life program. JDSSW 2026 took place over the week of January 26th-30th, and three Ju

By: Brayden Davies People discover Youthlinc in many different ways, some hear stories and experiences from friends and family who have gone on a trip, some see a presentation at school, and others learn about Youthlinc  through their own research. One thing they all have in common, is that they are drawn to Youthlinc because they have a desire to be more actively involved in bettering both their local and global community.    Youthlinc’s mission is to create lifetime humanit

By Shelly Burningham, Real Life Director Real Life is an after-school tutoring and life skills peer mentoring program that partners Youthlinc with a variety of organizations in Salt Lake County. Real Life provides active, practical, after-school programming to teens, tween with refugee or immigrant status in Utah.      Real Life was born through the visionary leadership of Ellie Seaborn, a Youthlinc employee at the time.  She explains, "Four nights a week, I was working with