A Youth Development Approach

Youth development, or positive youth development, serves as the unifying principle for YDEKC’s diverse coalition of organizations. Learn more about how we define Youth Development, and how you can help support the youth development field by exploring the video and links below.

Learn more and get involved in supporting youth in King County today:

• Find Youth Programs in your neighborhood within King County by checking out the Elevate Washington. (If you are a youth program provider, follow these steps to claim and update your organization’s Directory profile.)
• Volunteer with a youth program, find opportunities at the Volunteer Center at United Way.
• Advocate and vote to support children and youth issues. Stay informed on the issues by signing up for our Field Notes and Shared Advocacy Agenda newsletters, and strengthen your advocacy skills with Washington Nonprofit’s Build A Movement! Public Policy toolkit.
• Learn more about YDEKC’s definition of a Youth Development Approach, explore YDEKC’s Social Emotional Learning resources, and read the Aspen Institute’s report From a Nation at Risk to a Nation at Hope to learn more about why a youth development approach matters to youth success.
• Explore our member organizations here.
• Strengthen your partnerships with youth-serving organizations by using resources from YDEKC’s Partnership Toolkit.