The Waco Youth Development Project (YDP) is a nonprofit association in McLennan County, Texas, that uses outreach research to advance knowledge about how to empower young people during their transition to adulthood. The YDP includes graduate students, undergraduates, and faculty on the McLennan Community College campus.
Our mission is to share a vision of positive change. We aim to:
Our mission is to share a vision of positive change. We aim to:
- Promote positive youth development and enhance the life chances of all young people;
- Stimulate the dissemination of all articles, books, reports, and other communications related to promoting positive youth development; and
- Prepare students to contribute to the science and practice of positive youth development.
We target the transition to adulthood because this is often when positive and negative life trajectories begin to separate from one another, with the young person’s emerging sense of "who I am," "where I belong," and "what my life is about" playing a crucial role in determining what direction his or her life course takes. Our aim is to create tools for empowering youth in this developmental moment.
Promoting Positive Youth Development
We provide the Changing Lives Program. Each year, in partnership with local schools and college transition programs, undergraduate psychology students facilitate small mentoring groups for about 100 traditionally underserved youth who will be first in their families to go to college. In working with these youth, our approach is supportive and collaborative, not problem-focused or didactic. Like other youth development programs, we aim to promote positive and healthy development.
Disseminating Knowledge About Positive Youth Development
We also carry out and contribute to a wide range of youth development research. Our work focuses on identity formation, promoting positive youth development, youth interventions, and college student development.
Preparing Students to Contribute to Positive Youth Development
The Youth Development Training Program is an integral part of our work. This program gets college students involved in giving back to the community by contributing to the implementation and maintenance of the Changing Lives Program. Students gain real-world experience and skills in working with adolescents and collaborating with community partners.
Promoting Positive Youth Development
We provide the Changing Lives Program. Each year, in partnership with local schools and college transition programs, undergraduate psychology students facilitate small mentoring groups for about 100 traditionally underserved youth who will be first in their families to go to college. In working with these youth, our approach is supportive and collaborative, not problem-focused or didactic. Like other youth development programs, we aim to promote positive and healthy development.
Disseminating Knowledge About Positive Youth Development
We also carry out and contribute to a wide range of youth development research. Our work focuses on identity formation, promoting positive youth development, youth interventions, and college student development.
Preparing Students to Contribute to Positive Youth Development
The Youth Development Training Program is an integral part of our work. This program gets college students involved in giving back to the community by contributing to the implementation and maintenance of the Changing Lives Program. Students gain real-world experience and skills in working with adolescents and collaborating with community partners.