Youth Action produces socially responsible leaders. Students who join Youth Action strive towards personal excellence, but also seek to utilize their talents to impact their communities. This is the best way for students to make the most of their talents.

Inspire. Lead. Serve. The belief and enthusiasm that student members of Youth Action have for these three short words is what defines our non-profit organization. These words have also defined our challenging yet successful service mission. Since 2003, our service mission has been simple: to equip students with tools and resources to influence their peers to get involved with their communities.

Youth Action breaks non-profit convention when we put students at the forefront of delivering service projects and running the day-to-day operations of a non-profit organization. But surprisingly to some, it works! And we love that it works. Our service mission is unique. Through our civic engagement programs, Youth Action provides students with opportunities to craft service projects that will increase their peers’ involvement with leadership and service to their communities. By doing service with Youth Action, members of our organization increase skills in communication, time/organizational management, writing, critical thinking, meeting facilitation, and are able to join a network of peers who are interested in leadership and service.

What’s amazing about our members is that they not only influence their peers to serve, but also their leadership is developed in the process of them serving. Many of our students have never been given an opportunity to organize high quality impactful service projects, or a chance to facilitate an organization that they can call their own. The impact here is that students as young as 14 and as old as 21 are exposed to experiences that will strengthen them later in their life-long commitment to service.

Kiyana Neil, Executive Director

No one can doubt the success of our organization over our existence. Youth Action members have found our organization instrumental to their personal achievements in life.  Some of our successes include:

• 100% of Youth Action members receive training in non-profit management and community organizing
• 98% of Youth Action Alums continue to serve their communities post their time with the organization
• Members commit to at least 50 hours of service each Youth Action service year

Youth Action is guided by our commitment to excellence, innovation, and a foundation in student-led service and civic engagement. Our service non-profit has a long history of inspiring students to embrace change in their communities. For our future, Youth Action will continue to motivate students to inspire, lead, and serve.

We invite you to support our mission and we hope that our website provides you with insight on how we impact students to lead and serve Philadelphia and beyond. Thank you for your commitment to Youth Action.