Centering youth, strengthening community: A look back at 2024–25
Creating the conditions for young people to grow does not happen all at once. It happens through steady presence—day after day, year after year—in schools, neighborhoods, and programs where trust is built over time.
For more than five decades, Community Youth Center of San Francisco has taken that long view. Throughout the 2024–25 school year, youth across San Francisco participated in programs that supported their wellbeing, expanded their skills, and gave them meaningful opportunities to lead. They organized workshops, prepared for work, explored identity, and contributed to their school and neighborhood communities.
Across Health and Wellness, Enrichment and Advancement, and Community Engagement programs, the work remained consistent in purpose: supporting young people as capable individuals shaped by their experiences, cultures, and environments. The examples below offer a snapshot of how that work took form across the city this year.
Supporting wellness and stability
Health and Wellness programs focused on providing culturally responsive support that met youth where they were. Behavioral Health and Intervention programs served youth ages 11 to 24 through counseling, case management, and crisis support—creating space for young people to address challenges with guidance and care.
Alongside mental health services, programs also offered hands-on learning related to physical health. At Garfield Elementary, students participated in the UCSF Little White Coats program, learning about the human body and how the heart works. At Moscone Elementary and through the CYC Redding afterschool program, first and second graders explored hygiene and nutrition by sampling healthy snacks and learning how everyday choices affect wellbeing.
Together, these efforts supported curiosity, awareness, and habits that contribute to long-term health.
Building skills for work and life
Enrichment and Advancement programs supported youth as they developed confidence, discipline, and practical skills. For some students, this growth took place through athletics. The Dragon Boat team—San Francisco’s only community-based high school team—brought youth together to train in fitness, coordination, and strategy while competing at national and international levels. The Table Tennis program engaged middle and high school students in regular practice and weekly matches, with coaches emphasizing teamwork, focus, and sportsmanship.
Other students focused on preparing for life after high school. Workforce development programs supported youth as they explored interests, practiced writing resumes and cover letters, developed time management skills, and prepared for interviews with guidance from staff and mentors. During the summer, more than 300 students participated in the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP), gaining hands-on experience through internships and job training that introduced them to professional expectations and workplaces.
Youth leading on justice and identity
Community Engagement programs supported youth as leaders and bridge-builders across neighborhoods. This year, youth-led initiatives created opportunities for education, dialogue, and collective reflection.
In the Racial Justice Cohort (RJC), 36 students from three San Francisco public high schools examined social justice issues affecting their communities. They developed and distributed resource cards addressing topics such as femicide, youth violence, and homelessness during a school-based learning expo designed to encourage peer-to-peer education.
Participants in Young Asian Women Against Violence (YAWAV) led 41 workshops for middle and high school students on gender identity, healthy relationships, and body image. The Clementine Collective created space for queer and trans youth to explore identity and expression, with 11 youth leaders developing educational materials on topics including pinkwashing, queer media, and ballroom culture.
Across these programs, youth took responsibility for shaping conversations and contributing to more inclusive school environments.
Continuing the work
As the school year transitions into summer, the work continues with the same focus it has always required: safe spaces, consistent relationships, and opportunities for young people to participate fully as themselves. The needs have not changed, and neither has the commitment.
CYC will continue showing up with steadiness—supporting youth as they grow, lead, and contribute to the communities they are already helping to shape.
To stay connected, sign up for the CYC newsletter for stories, program updates, and opportunities to engage. The upcoming Annual Report will offer a fuller reflection of the work underway and what is being sustained for the future.