Ethical Entity the Profiled Organization Is Youth

Ethical Entity

The profiled organization is Youth LifeLine America, http://www.youthlifelineamerica.com. The organization is a not-for-profit 501 c3 tax-exempt status and domiciled in O'Fallon Missouri, United States. Youth LifeLine America (YLA) operates in multiple cities throughout America providing services targeted to the adolescent. Specifically, YLA coordinate efforts to influence youth via such mediums as the arts, entertainment, sports and celebrities, to teach ways to be productive and encourage a mindset of sustained development.

YLA is a small business employing below ten employees. The Founder & CEO is Roland Williams, Director of Development & Programs is Cedric Cobb, Kathryn Vasconcellos is Event Guru, and Angela Castelli is Vice President of Operations. According to Angela Castelli, YLA as a very targeted approach to assisting the youth population.

"This organization has identified the gaps that exist in our youth's culture today, educates and empowers them to develop the skills that allow them to reach their full potential on their own and achieve great success!! It is powerful to see the process in action -- it is real, it is right, and it is resounding!" (Castelli, 2009)

The organization therefore focuses on the youth agenda that includes a comprehensive assortment of activities and responsibilities inherent to their peer group. By using the influence of pop culture icons, the organization is ostensibly able to reach the youth by engaging in their appeal to acceptance, which is a psychological tool used to identify with a youth through appeasing the level of insecurity.

Additionally, the YLA employs a variety of activities that engage the youth with learning outcomes that range from computer competency to community service and development initiatives. The comprehensive approach is rather unique given the size of the organization. A multi-functional approach in a multi-city setting facilitates the identity and substantiates the mission of the organization.

MISSION STATEMENT

"To harness the power influences of arts, entertainment, sports and celebrity to empower youth with tools necessary for sustained development and productivity.

The YLA offers a variety of programs to enable the success of its Mission Statement. These include the following:

Academic Excellence Incentive Programs

Career Development Workshops

Citizenship Incentive Programs

Conflict Resolution Workshops & Focus Groups

Computer Competency Workshops

Computer Centers

Community Clean Ups

Community Service & Outreach Campaigns

Educational Field Trips

Entrepreneur Workshops

Financial Literacy Workshops

Free Health & Life Skills Festivals

Free Cheerleading & Life Skills Camps

Football & Life Skills Camps

Goal Achievement Workshops

Internship Programs

Literacy Programs

Public Service Announcement Campaigns

Scholarship Programs

The organization enjoys a wide-range of success given its ability to sustain its comprehensive listing of available programs. Testimonials from philanthropists and athletes that have assisted the organization point to a successful operation that has touched the lives of many youth.

"Youth Lifeline America is a life-changing organization that works directly with children that need positive mentorship, guidance and encouragement. By using the influence of sports, entertainment and celebrity to provide positive alternatives for participants, we are truly making a difference. I am honoured and excited to invest my time and resources to expanding this outstanding work across our great nation.

"Microsoft was deeply inspired by the passion, professionalism and devotion that was brought forth by Youth Lifeline America staff, its participants, and volunteers. In fact, eight Microsoft individuals now eagerly dedicate their time both personally and professionally to support this grassroots effort to increase life skills competency levels of youth. Microsoft looks forward to being a lifelong supporter of Youth Lifeline America!

YLA has the objective of assisting youth and facilitating a positive experience for said youth where YLA has operations. This ethical approach to serving the youth has garnered major attention to the organization for its efforts in this area. The ethical issues faced by the organization include, whether they are serving the most at-risk youth, or those that require their services the most. The lack of financial regulation, a checks and balances, is an ethical issue as there can be mismanagement of funds with no oversight to determine if there is fraud occurring. Outside auditing may not reveal this activity as the books can be fixed by the culprit to hide this activity. Additionally, ethical issues regarding whether the organization is addressing the most pressing and pertinent issues facing these youth. Child abuse is a major facilitator of youth wayward behaviour and perhaps these programs are means of just covering up a deeper personal and more profound psychological issue.

The processes that support the ethical orientation include the development initiatives to bring funding into the organization to drive programs and program management necessary to impact the youth the programs are aimed to assist. Policies that drive ethics include acting and facilitating each program with the best interest of the youth in mind and focusing on enabling the youth with life skills and critical resources for their future. The organizational structure is essentially flat and no chain of command is used in this model, as would be the vertical line management.