Youth Action Project, established in 1998, is a non-profit organization that works to empower San Bernardino’s Youth to develop the skills and habits needed to experience economic and social success.
Our work is intended to bring positive change by helping local youth graduate from high school, complete college or vocational training, develop work skills, and make responsible choices. In other words, we want to prevent problems before they occur.
Our mission is to help youth and young adults develop the skills and habits needed to experience economic and social success.
Youth Action Project has three primary service components:
Community & Economic Development
Young Professionals Academy
California has the fifth worst unemployment rate in the nation. The Inland Empire regions of San Bernardino & Riverside have the highest unemployment rate in the state of California (Department of Labor).
The sputtering economy and uncertain job market have increased competition for local college students to obtain entry-level employment. YAP provides these college students with hands-on work experience and professional development training
The goal is to provide a two-fold benefit: work experience and professional development for our young adults and, through their service, benefits to the community-at-large.
Several YAP alumni have gone on to obtain employment with: county agencies, local non-profit organizations, and school districts just to name a few. Others have continued, or completed, their education at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Educational Enhancement
Young Scholars
Minority and economically disadvantaged students in San Bernardino fail the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) at rates far greater than their counterparts; making them ineligible to receive a diploma (California Department of Education).
Alarming rates of academic disengagement show that minority and economically disadvantaged students are leaving high school unprepared and disadvantaged because of their ethnicity or financial circumstances. This creates short, and long-term, negative outcomes for the youth themselves and the community at large such as: unemployment or underemployment, increased reliance on public assistance, inability to take advantage of post-secondary education opportunities, higher rates of crime, and other forms of disenfranchisement.
Within this component we provide students with the essential skills and strategies necessary for success in, through, and beyond high school. YAP encourages the habit of being a life-long learner.
Youth Development
Young Leaders
The most recent Census data (2000) shows the City of San Bernardino has the highest concentration of disadvantaged youth in the state.
At the core of YAP programming is the belief that positive youth development addresses the broader development needs of youth, in contrast to deficit based programs, which focus solely on youth problems.
YAP uses a near-to-peer approach in its programming. Youth are connected to positive adults who teach and model appropriate behaviors and life skills. Youth gain interpersonal skills as they participate in activities that teach them to handle conflict, value others and their differences, communicate effectively, and to be able to foster change in themselves and their communities. Youth are able to increase self-esteem, which increases the likelihood of improved academic performance.
Additionally, youth play an integral role in the development of all our programs. We want the voice of our youth to be heard.
