About/History

History & Overview

Young People In Action International (YPA) is a 501 C3 non-profit youth leadership organization, which was founded on February 10, 1984, by a 17-year homeless teenager, in the driving park community on the south-east side of Columbus, Ohio.

YPA’s concept directly impacts, what the prevention, intervention, education, and juvenile justice hierarchy systems feel are the causes of at-risk behavior among young people. Unfortunately, yet typically, when society talks about our youth, we too often use negative terms about what we would like them to stop doing. For example, we want them to stop using drugs & alcohol, stop dropping out of school, stop having sex & getting pregnant, and stop being violent & committing crimes. In short, we would like them to stop having problems and stop being problems. However, when we focus only on youth problems, we may begin to think of youth only as problems. We all want to reduce risk factors, but if that is all our community programs do, we assume that the absence of risky behaviors automatically assures positive growth, and that is a risky proposition.

We sometimes think that we can provide youth with leadership development type of activities only after we have eliminated their problems through prevention or “fixed” their problems through treatment. That is a mistake! In fact, thinking that treatment and prevention must precede leadership development can be most damaging to so-called “at-risk” youth who may need these programs the most. We prioritize treating and reducing risk factors for “at risk” youth because we know their problems are the most serious. Youth from inner-city, lower-income families need to have the same needs met and acquire the same competencies as their peers from suburban and upper-income neighborhoods. When needs are not met and competencies are not acquired, all young people, no matter where they come from, are “at risk.

Our Mission

The mission of YPA is to create a sustainable leadership movement of young people, who are committed to self-improvement & cultivating the leader within, through the development of Spiritual; Social; Education; Economic and Political competencies.

 Our Goal

The goal of YPA is to work with local high schools, faith institutions, parents, and community-based institutions, to identify, recruit and empower High School age youth of color, to establish a YPA Chapter, where they ignite a positive leadership movement. Through this Chapter, they are responsible for:

• The facilitation & management of weekly YPA council meetings.
• Engaging college students, parents, and other adults to assist in programming.
• Completing the “YPA Five Core Disciplines of Leadership Training Certification.
• Peer role modeling & recruitment.
• Sustainable fundraising
• Downloading, sharing, and actively utilizing the YPAworld.org social media app.
• Participating in Service-learning projects.
• Facilitating Issue based community outreach and events.
• Organizing Domestic & International travel opportunities.
• Participating in BSA Venturing Crews & Outdoor adventure activities.
• Hosting candidates’ nights & screenings.
• Attending College, trade schools & Corporate-Career centered tours & field trips.

YPA supports youth in “developing the ability to analyze their own strengths and weaknesses, set personal and professional goals, and have the self-esteem & confidence, peer, family & community support, resources & motivation, and abilities to carry them out, ultimately propelling them to become responsible members of society, and civically informed & engaged citizens, who are ready to compete on a global scale.

Our Impact

Expanding young people’s skills and building their confidence and competence, has been proven to lead to higher GPAs, less aggression and violence, higher life satisfaction, better mental health, and fewer risky behaviors. Paring that with a collective body of young people and adults, impacts our communities at a much higher level. More specifically, YPA’s program impacts its participants in so many ways, and as a direct result of their participation youth latch onto a more sustainable way of life.

Program Activity

As society relentlessly bombards our psyche with images, movies, reality TV, social media, music etc. that relate to crime, violence, self-degradation, and other negative impulses, and to combat this very powerful system, to the best of our ability, we must introduce a non-stop campaign into the equation. YPA accomplishes our mission and goals through a process of continual positive activities.

YPA hosts weekly leadership council meetings, training sessions, and/or other activities utilizing the 5 Core Disciplines of Leadership Curriculum and other activities and resources which assist youth in building Spiritual; Social; Education; Economic and Political competencies. (Recognizing life’s barriers, participants will be given the option to attend all sessions via Zoom and in person. We will provide every viable solution to ensure the participants can participate) Activities include, but are not limited to the Chapter responsibilities as outlined in our goals.

YPA Milestones