youth will
impact others
The Impact
Through mentorship, resources, and a network of like-minded changemakers, we cultivate innovation, amplify voices, and spark transformative movements.
Youth have the power to shape the future—and we’re here to ensure their vision becomes reality. Here's a recap of the impact we've had in our community.
200+
lives touched
5
years towards the mission
Our Wins as a Local Advocacy Organization
2024
Mar
Youth Will attended the Alliance for Boys & Men of Color Policy Day in Sacramento to advocate for AB2906, a bill that prevents counties from taking critical social security and survivor benefits from foster youth and ensures that supplemental security income goes directly to foster youth. This bill will ensure that youth are provided the financial support they need to successfully transition out of the system. Youth Will is a co-sponsor of this bill.
AB 2906 was signed into law! This guarantees that foster youth will receive survivor's benefits through transparency and accountability.
Sept
2023
Mar
The San Diego Opportunity Youth Collaborative has developed and launched Resources for San Diego Youth, a dedicated website designed to support young people aged 16-25 in navigating and accessing essential resources throughout San Diego County.
Mar
Youth Will, in partnership with the San Diego Foundation, the Global ARC, PANA, and the Majdal Center to inform the County of San Diego’s decarbonization efforts on how to best reach and engage with youth, as well as BIPOC and low-income communities.
May
YO! Cali brought together eleven organizations in a “Bright Spots” project focused on documenting youth-led models and practices for youth mental health and wellbeing. Young people and organizers defined youth wellness and healing in their own terms, sharing the strategies and best practices of their organization’s wellness efforts. Youth Will’s interns, Keala Minna Choe and Isabella Campa created a video documenting Youth Will’s findings. You can view the video here.
May
The City adopted a pilot #Free4ME program modeled after the County’s program as a result of our work with Planned Parenthood.
Aug
Councilmember Joe LaCava declared August 30, 2023 “Menstrual Hygiene Equity Day”.
Oct
Youth Will partnered with the Office of Child & Youth Success to provide civic education trainings to Youth Commissioners, youth interns at the City of San Diego, and interested youth in the City of San Diego.
2022
Jan
Youth Will and the San Diego Workforce Partnership launched the regional Opportunity Youth Collaborative. The goal of this collaborative is to mobilize and shift systems in order address gaps in youth services while leveraging opportunities to ensure young people in our region reach self-sufficiency through workforce training, youth leadership engagement, and equitable investment in underserved communities.
Jan
We partnered with the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color last year to advocate for more funding for youth apprenticeship programs in the State’s budget.
2021
Mar
Created youth employment opportunities in community green spaces, through the Youth Environmental/Recreation Corps.
May
We created the #Free4Me pilot program in partnership with Planned Parenthood. This provides free menstrual products in public facing facilities, with funds provided by the county.
June
Youth Will created opportunities for youth employment from the county’s dedication of funds to the Youth Environmental Recreation Corps. This positive impact in the community provided initiatives for work in wildlife protection efforts, food gardens, biodiversity incentives, and additional green efforts.
June
Youth Will, along with community partners such as the YMCA and San Diego for Every Child, created the Office of Child & Youth Success. Businesses, schools, healthcare providers, non-profits, and other outside entities have one place to address all the needs of San Diego’s youth, through this centralized office.
2020
May
Our Emergency Resource Ambassadors shared emergency COVID-19 resources and supplies for low-income youth.
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