The Youth Action Project, Inc. started in 1998 as a youth-driven project to allow youth to identify the issues that mattered most to young people and to provide an avenue for them to develop plans to address those issues. YAP has three primary service components that are an integral part of the organization:

Youth Development - Enables its members to attain the skills and habits needed for leadership roles in their future. Members are placed in situations that help them acquire skills in leadership development, group dynamics, public speaking, critical thinking, workshop facilitation, volunteerism, citizenship and writing.

Educational Enhancement - Engages high school youth in improving academic skills and assists students with passing California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and college preparation.

Economic and Community Development - Focuses on building collaboration among community based organizations while providing paid and unpaid career development opportunities for local college students and improves social conditions in a sustainable way for disadvantaged youth.

MISSION & APPROACH . . .
The Youth Action Project (YAP) Mission is to connect young people to opportunities that allow them to develop the skills and habits needed to experience economic and social success.

To accomplish this tremendous task, YAP uses a mix of innovative approaches to achieve its goals and objectives. YAP creates curricula and training programs that encourage social and economic growth, while promoting best practices in the youth development field.

Youth Involvement - The young people connected to YAP are an integral part of YAP's program design and delivery of services.

Positive Peer Influence - YAP Peer Support Mentors are responsible for utilizing their influential power to promote education and workforce achievement to their peers by encouraging them to engage in positive dialogue, decision making and actions.

Youth Popular Culture - Youth culture is integrated within YAP's program offerings with specific strategies designed to improve educational and workforce outcomes.