Youth Speak Collective (YSC), a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, is a youth-driven initiative empowering low-income communities in the Northeast San Fernando Valley with the skills necessary to pursue higher education and create strong communities.
The organization was founded based on an understanding that students were disengaged from their community and schools, which resulted in an epidemic of high-school dropouts and community-wide dis-empowerment.
Since its inception, Youth Speak Collective has provided youth with important opportunities to engage in the community’s civic activities and to give them a way to channel their intellect and ambition in a productive manner. At the core of each of our programs is the realization that education and opportunity are crucial to success.
What makes YSC unique is its “for youth, by youth” philosophy. We believe the youth we serve are the best suited to design and implement our programs. We deliberately designed our processes to invert the typical top-down hierarchy, and to give voice, decision-making, and leadership roles to those that don’t usually have them.
