Long Beach Youth Institute

For the past nineteen years, the YMCA of Greater Long Beach Community Development Branch has operated the internationally recognized Youth Institute, a year-round program that uses technology as an integral mechanism for promoting positive youth development and developing pathways to post secondary education and career readiness of low-income, culturally diverse urban high school youth.

The goals of the Youth Institute are:

1. To improve academic achievement and stimulate interest in post secondary education among low-income, culturally-diverse, urban high school youth;
2. To improve the technology, career, leadership and decision-making skills of these youth to promote readiness for post secondary education or career entry after graduation; and
3. To promote bonding to pro-social adults and community attachment among urban youth to ensure that they remain engaged in their schools and communities.
4. To develop social and emotional skills in youth through multiple group and individual learning experiences.