The Youth Development Program (YDP) was established to encourage the State’s diverse communities to create local opportunities for positive youth development. YDP supports services that provide opportunities for positive youth development and help youth attain the developmental assets needed to grow up to be competent, caring and healthy adults. Youth is defined as an individual under 21 years of age.
To achieve the purpose of the Youth Development Program (YDP), programs must:
- Include involvement of youth in leadership and program planning activities, program implementation and evaluation
- Provide a range of youth in leadership and program planning activities, program implementation and evaluation
- Provide opportunities where young people feel supported and safe
- Focus on asset building by supporting:
- Positive values
- Social competencies
- Positive Identity
- Educational commitment
Some examples of programs which have been contracted through YDP include but are not limited to:
- After school tutoring and cultural enrichment programs
- Mentoring programs
- Big Brother/Big Sister programs
- Peer mediation programs
- Peer counseling programs
- Work readiness and job placement programs
- Youth advocacy programs
- Youth leadership programs
- Teenage pregnancy prevention programs