Mission

Founded in 1991, Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) has sparked the leadership of 90,000 young people to solve pressing social issues and serve communities. YLI implements community-based programs throughout California in the counties of Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Merced, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Riverside. Across 90 cohorts, YLI serves 1,900 youth leaders ages 12-26 each week, 90% of whom are youth of color, and 67% of whom qualify as low income. A nationally recognized leader in the field of youth development, YLI provides young people with tools and support to identify community needs and implement solutions, while also training adult allies to successfully partner with youth in community change efforts. The young people of YLI have successfully advocated for over 135 policy wins across California over the last 32 years.