Youth Development

Empowering Youth Through Enriching Programs

Providing children and youth with safe spaces outside of school where they can thrive is a priority of The Children's Trust. Help with homework, reading, focused tutoring and fun enrichment activities are just part of a much bigger picture. After-school programs and summer camps offer children opportunities to strengthen life skills, learn about nutrition, engage in sports and healthy activities, make friends, and discover and cultivate new interests.

The Children’s Trusts believes that IF we …

• Provide safe and enriching, high-quality after-school and summer programming
• That meets the age-appropriate needs of children and youth from K through 12th grades
• And supports academic, health, and social and emotional wellness …

Then, children and youth will succeed academically, develop appropriately and minimize involvement in risky behaviors.

Teenagers benefit from vocational training and college prep, arts education, sports, mentoring,  paid internships and leadership training through our Youth Advisory Committee.

More than 30,000 children and youth are being served at more than 350 program sites. For parents, they're trusted havens that contribute to raising healthy, happy and successful kids. To find more programs, please click on Find a Program.

The Youth Development Implementation Manual serves as a guide for all contracted providers implementing Youth Development (YD) Programs. It conveys the current initiative design and framework, staffing and service delivery expectations, continuous learning and quality improvement (CLQI) processes and data collection requirements to be followed within YD. The manual aims to ensure fidelity and consistency with the YD initiative and standard practices across the various funded agencies. In line with our CLQI framework, this manual will be reviewed and updated regularly to incorporate lessons learned through ongoing review of data collected through program implementation and provider feedback.