Youth Community Service (YCS) Email Format
Non-profit OrganizationsCalifornia, United States11-50 Employees
Youth Community Service (YCS) is a Palo Alto-based nonprofit founded in 1990 that has engaged youths from diverse communities in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties in service-learning. The organization seeks to amplify young people’s voices to strengthen community ties and equity through service, aiming to help youth shape a more inclusive future. Its programs are evidence-based and emphasize upstream approaches to youth mental health by boosting social-emotional learning, belonging, and a sense of mattering, which is defined as both feeling valued and making a difference. Central to YCS is its peer leadership after-school program, Youth Connect, which brings together youths from varied backgrounds to address intertwined community challenges, including sustainability, social justice, policy change, and mental health, through youth-led actions. The organization operates within the nonprofit sector with a focus on youth development and community service as a pathway to systemic change, serving communities in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. In 2024, YCS partnered with Anamatangi Polynesian Voices and other organizations to host trunk-or-treat activities, a decor contest, games, and voter-engagement forums, illustrating its collaborative, youth-driven approach.