Youth Service America is committed to creating a global culture of engaged youth who are committed to a lifetime of service, leadership, and achievement.

YSA improves communities worldwide by increasing the number and the diversity of young people serving in substantive roles.

YSA will achieve this through public mobilization and advocacy campaigns; the creation of incentives, support, and recognition; and providing information, tools, and training.

Founded in 1986, Youth Service America (YSA) seeks to improve communities by increasing the number and the diversity of children and youth, ages 5-25, serving in important roles. Why? Because half the worlds population is currently under 25 years old, and 40% is under 19 years old. Engaging young people as partners in social initiatives leads to positive youth development outcomes, including academic achievement; benefits to those they serve; and healthier communities.

Since its founding 22 years ago, YSA has been one of the primary architects of the modern service movement, activating innovative new models and strategies to engage youth in service to their communities. YSA was created to coalesce and direct an emerging movement of youth service programs, which formerly existed in diverse and scattered grassroots forms. YSA created a common vision and strategy to enable effective programs to serve as models for support, expansion, and national public policy. In this way, YSA functions as an umbrella organization in all streams for national, community, school-based, and now global service, embracing all faiths, political affiliations, social issues, and demographics through the angle of youth as problem solvers.

Today, as an international resource center that partners with thousands of organizations on six continents, YSA elevates the role of young people as responsible citizens who serve at the local, national, and global level.