The Youth Development Initiative (YDI)

The Youth Development Initiative (YDI) provides eighteen to twenty four year old youth the opportunity to achieve clarity regarding their future life direction – both personally and in a career.  Achieving successful individuation as a youth ensures responsible citizenship, healthy relationships and productive careers.  Participants are individuals who show great potential for future personal, career, and civic success but who have been unable to actualize their goals.  They may not have had the previous ability, opportunity or the time to explore their personal talents and ambitions, but are highly motivated to do so at this point in their lives.  In order to help them achieve their potential, successful applicants will receive a stipend to participate in a year long full-time program that includes counseling by licensed and experienced therapists, a service learning work experience, and peer learning/counseling.  Participants must be willing to commit to a full time program for a one year period. 

The goals of the YDI program are:

• Increase self-awareness and self-reliance
• Establish personal and professional goals
• Create realistic plans for the future

Program Description

To accomplish these goals, participants throughout the one year program will:

1. Receive 1 hour per week of high quality counseling
2. Engage in a full-time 32 hour per week service learning work experience in a community nonprofit organization.
3. Participate in weekly monthly peer learning and counseling activities

The Youth Development Initiative will provide each participant a $23,700 living allowance during the year they participate in the program.  Participants will be paid $1,975 for each month (prorated for partial months).  The monthly payments are intended to allow participants to focus on the counseling and service learning experience as their primary full time priority.  Counseling, service learning and peer learning/counseling are the main program components.

Counseling – Counseling will help participants increase emotional independence and pursue realistic, personal goals based upon a solid understanding of who they are as individuals, family members and citizens.  To accomplish this, participants will attend weekly counseling sessions with experienced licensed clinical social workers.  In these sessions, therapists will actively encourage participants to create plans to develop personally and professionally.  Participants will evaluate their progress on these plans and receive support to overcome obstacles they face along the way.  Therapists will also encourage participants to explore current experiences so they become aware of personal strengths and understand emotional issues or patterns of behavior that undermine their ability to achieve their goals.  The anticipated result of this counseling process is that participants will become more self-reliant and move forward in their adult lives in a productive manner.

Service Learning – Service learning helps participants learn about themselves, gain meaningful professional experience, and make a difference in the community.  This component will serve to reinforce, improve, and strengthen the mentoring by providing a context for reflection about each participant’s unique identity, strengths, skills, interests and areas for growth. It will also foster the development of empathy, personal values, self-awareness, confidence, and social responsibility.  The YDI collaborates with Mira Costa College to administer the service learning program.  Participants will enroll in a service learning course at Mira Costa College and work 32 hours per week in a human service, arts, environmental or educational nonprofit organization that matches their interests.  The YDI will maintain a close relationship with Mira Costa and the nonprofit placement organization to ensure a successful and sustained experience for all involved.  Each service learning site will provide a knowledgeable staff member who will manage the participant’s work experience to ensure the work is meaningful for both the participant and the organization.

Peer Learning – Peer learning groups will enrich the entire experience for program participants.  These groups will provide an opportunity for participants to exchange feedback and ideas with their peers.  In addition, participants will create a year long learning agenda with the YDI program coordinator that is relevant and important to what they are trying to accomplish.  In addition to managing the learning agenda, the YDI program coordinator will maintain frequent contact with each participant to provide support, direction and ensure a positive experience.  She will also serve as a liaison between participants, service learning sites and Mira Costa College.

Criteria for Eligibility

1. Uncertain about future career goals, education, or personal direction
2. High level of motivation to explore personal and professional goals
3. Desire to become independent and self-sufficient
4. Desire to participate in a service learning setting for 32 hours each week as a primary priority
5. Economic need – The applicant as an individual must fall at or below the yearly income guideline of $30,667
6. Age 18 through 24 years old at the time of application
7. Completed four years of high school or equivalent
8. U.S. citizen or legal resident
9. Single with no dependents
10. No extensive debt

Applications

The Foundation is not currently accepting applications for the Youth Development Initiative. Contact the Foundation using the link below with questions regarding Youth Development Initiative.