The Mission of the Youth Development Institute

The Youth Development Institute (YDI) seeks to improve the capacity of communities to support the development of young people. At the core of YDI’s work is a vision that views youth as central actors in their own lives, rather than as passive clients of services. Youth development is defined as an ongoing process in which all young people are engaged and invested and through which young people seek ways to meet their physical and social needs and to build the competencies and connections they perceive as necessary for survival and success. YDI’s research-based youth development framework identifies the type of experiences that are present when young people achieve successful adulthood. These experiences are close relationships with caring adults, high expectations, engaging activities, opportunities for participation in decision-making and activities that affect others, and continuity of support. This vision for young people constitutes the foundation of the Youth Development Institute (YDI) and its programs and has shaped the work of YDI since it was established at the Fund in 1991.