Independent Living
Household routines, housing readiness, transportation, appointments, organization
Greater readiness for stable adult living
★ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Youth ages 16–21
Imagine Me — Empowering Philadelphia Youth through Mentorship and Life Skills
Imagine Me (IM) prepares underserved young adults — including youth transitioning from child-welfare and DHS systems — for independent, stable, purpose-driven adulthood.
Our mission
Empowering underserved youth ages 16–21 to live independent, purpose-driven lives.
Young people are more likely to thrive when they have consistent adults, practical knowledge, safe connections and a clear path from dependence to self-sufficiency.
Who we serve
Our target participant is a young person age 16–21 who would benefit from structured preparation for independent living. Priority outreach includes youth transitioning from DHS or child-welfare involvement, youth experiencing economic instability, young parents, youth seeking employment, and other underserved young adults referred by schools, agencies, churches, community organizations or families.
Needs addressed
- Employment preparation and workplace readiness
- Budgeting, banking, credit, saving and financial decision-making
- Independent-living and household-management skills
- Mentorship, goal setting, confidence and decision-making
- Healthy communication, anger management and conflict resolution
- Domestic-violence awareness and access to appropriate support
- Grief support and referral to qualified counseling resources
- Connections to education, housing, transportation, benefits and community resources
Programs and services
Delivered through workshops, small groups, individual mentoring, community events, referral partnerships, printed and digital workbooks, and multi-session learning series.
Financial Capability
Budgeting, banking, credit, saving, consumer awareness
Improved money-management knowledge and habits
Work Readiness
Resume basics, applications, interviewing, workplace conduct, job search
Increased employment readiness
Mentorship & Life Skills
Goal setting, communication, decision-making, confidence, accountability
Stronger support network and self-efficacy
Healthy Relationships
Conflict resolution, anger-management education, domestic-violence awareness
Safer choices and healthier communication
Support & Resource Navigation
Grief-support resources, education referrals, community services
Better access to appropriate services
Participant journey
- 1Referral or community outreach and initial contact
- 2Enrollment/intake and identification of goals
- 3Core life-skills, financial and work-readiness programming
- 4Mentor and resource connections as appropriate
- 5Progress check-ins and referrals
- 6Completion recognition and follow-up
Guiding values
Dignity
Every young person deserves respect and to be seen for their potential.
Independence
Programs build practical skills that increase self-sufficiency.
Accountability
Youth and adults set goals, follow through and learn from outcomes.
Safety
Programming and referrals prioritize responsible, youth-centered practices.
Opportunity
Participants connect to education, employment, resources, mentors and community networks.
Stewardship
Funds, partnerships and community trust are managed responsibly.
Founder & leadership
Ms. Latasha Williamson
A retired social worker, Ms. Williamson founded Imagine Me to close the practical preparation gap many vulnerable young people face as they move into adulthood — offering structured education, trusted mentorship, resource navigation and community connections.
Imagine Me is governed by a Board of Directors responsible for mission oversight, financial stewardship, policy, strategic direction and compliance. Staffing grows in phases as funding is secured, beginning with board leadership, volunteers, contractors and part-time personnel.
Partnerships
Imagine Me does not duplicate every service a young person may need. Our strength is practical preparation, trusted relationships and a bridge to specialized community resources.
Philadelphia-area child-welfare/DHS and youth-serving agencies
High schools, GED programs, community colleges and workforce programs
Banks, credit unions, financial educators and employers
Housing and independent-living resource organizations
Behavioral-health, grief, domestic-violence and family-support providers
Get involved
Refer a young person, partner with us, mentor, volunteer, or support the work with a gift or in-kind contribution.
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