Center for Youth as Resources (CYAR), Headquarters for Youth as Resources® (YAR)

The Center for Youth as Resources (CYAR) serves as the national and international headquarters for the Youth as Resources® (YAR) youth development philosophy and program model developed in 1986/1987. YAR provides opportunities for youth civic engagement through service to the community (including service learning), youth empowerment and leadership, and reciprocal mentoring through youth-adult partnerships in governance and grant making. The effectiveness of the program model, now in its 17th year, can be demonstrated by a network of more than 70 locally embedded YAR programs in 22 states and abroad.

Simply put, YAR's goal is to connect youth to their communities through youth-led service initiatives. The problem YAR addresses is universal: youth who feel disconnected from their communities are at risk.

Youth as Resources recognizes youth of all ages as valuable community resources and engages them in partnership with adults as philanthropists or grant makers and/or as leaders, designers, and implementers of community service projects. Through Youth as Resources, youth tackle a range of social problems that concern them—from health, housing, education, and the environment to drug abuse, gangs, illiteracy, and crime or any other issues they identify. In the process, they develop civic awareness, leadership, and life skills, as well as an ethos of social responsibility.

With the help of YAR grants, cultural diversity forums are created. Neighborhoods are revitalized. Teens encourage their peers to make positive choices. High school students mentor elementary school kids. Latchkey children have after-school activities. Marginalized community residents receive companionship. Safety and security measures are implemented. Hungry people are fed. Animals are rescued. Drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse are tackled at the roots. Future voters learn how the democratic system works. Environmentally sustainable practices are put in motion. Communities look and feel better, and the world is a better place to live.

YAR programming has involved more than 350,000 youth in thousands of community service projects, benefiting millions of people. While community improvements are important, YAR's most significant impact is on those who engineer its very existence. For youth, the YAR experience provides opportunities for creativity, leadership, teamwork, and empowerment to make a difference in people's lives. Tangible accomplishments fuel youth self-esteem and confidence, personal satisfaction, and a feeling of contributing to something larger than themselves. Adults who partner with YAR youth are exposed to [Page 227]fresh ways of thinking and tackling problems. In the process, they gain a greater appreciation of youth as legitimate, competent, and innovative change agents.