Youth Development
Youth development is the coordinated effort to help young people build the knowledge, skills, relationships and opportunities they need to become healthy, engaged and successful adults.
What would you like to learn?
Thank you to Youth Development Initiatives for providing guidance on core content as Lead Agency for this folio.
What is Youth Development?
Youth development is the coordinated effort to help young people build the knowledge, skills, relationships and opportunities they need to become healthy, engaged and successful adults.
Typically proactive versus reactive, youth development focuses on preventing problems and cultivating strengths, resilience and lifelong success.
Youth development can include early intervention programs that work with elementary-aged children through post-high school. The areas typically addressed include safe, supportive relationships, family engagement, high-quality education and afterschool or summer programs, social-emotional learning and mental health support, leadership development, civic engagement, career exploration and workforce/college readiness.
The work is grounded in the belief that all young people thrive when they have access to positive experiences, supportive relationships and equitable opportunities, regardless of background or neighborhood.
Disparities persist, and significant challenges remain, particularly for those in historically underserved communities. Issues like affordable housing, educational access and achievement, transportation, digital access and behavioral health continue to affect many young people in our community.
The lasting impacts of the pandemic linger as well, including learning loss and ongoing mental health needs, reinforcing the need for comprehensive support.
Key Facts
Scroll down for key facts on Youth Development
14%
of NC high school students do not graduate on time
10.3%
of North Carolina 16-24-year-olds were considered disconnected youth (neither in school nor working) in 2024
32nd
North Carolina’s national rank for child well-being in 2026
12,500
disconnected youth in Mecklenburg County in 2021, the most in North Carolina
52%
lower likelihood of absences among students with mentors compared to peers
1,200
teens applied for summer jobs in 2026 through the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program (MYEP)
Sources
- Charlotte helps teens navigate summer job market expected to be toughest in decades.
- North Carolina Ranks 32nd in 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book as NC Child Urges Focus on Supporting Thriving Kids and Families
- Percentage of North Carolina 16-24-year-olds neither in school or working (indicator shown as distance from 100%)
- Opportunity Youth: County-level estimates
- North Carolina ranks 34th in the nation on youth well-being across education, health, economic indicators
- Nonprofit in need of additional youth mentors
What is happening now?
Youth development has been taking place in Charlotte for years, but not always under that framing. In 2004, local philanthropic organizations convened government, corporate and nonprofit partners to establish service priorities for children in Mecklenburg County, focusing on health, safety and education. This led to other related programs serving children and youth.
In the years since, our community has become increasingly aware of the possibility of generational impacts from youth development programming. In 2014, economic mobility took center stage in Charlotte, bringing to light that a person’s success is shaped by education, health, family stability and access to opportunity.
With the emphasis on prevention over intervention across all sorts of skills and behaviors, increased collaboration across organizations in the nonprofit, business, education, and public sectors helps further support children in their life journey.
While Charlotte’s youth development efforts continue to pick up steam, work still remains to be done. One concern is the lack of spaces, public or otherwise, that exist for young people to gather outside of home or the classroom.
Charlotte’s greatest opportunity lies in sustaining coordinated investments that ensure every young person, regardless of ZIP code, race, or family income, has access to the relationships, resources, places, and experiences needed to thrive.
Donate or volunteer now
To explore additional nonprofits working in youth development, visit SHARE Charlotte’s directory for Technology, STEM/STEAM, and Digital Literacy.
Take Action
Choose a card below to learn more.
Learn Who is Leading
Give Back Financially
Volunteer
Support Community Advocacy
Become a Mentor
Align Priorities
Starting points
These six organizations are good starting points for someone new to this topic.
Charlotte is home to a growing network of people and organizations who believe in building a stronger, more connected community for all.
Explore more resources below.
Explore More
fftc:FWD provides starting points and exploration options for each fftc:FWD topic. Extensive directories of nonprofit organizations working in this topic can be found through the Share Charlotte Donate and Volunteer options above. The organizations below include some nonprofits suggested by the community, but also include government agencies, private sector initiatives, collaborations, and other efforts from across sectors.
The largest network of African American male mentors in the nation offers programs in education, health and wellness, economic empowerment and leadership development.
Serves more than 1,500 children in the region, making meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteer mentors and children (ages 5-14).
Creates a just and equitable future for children and families through culturally responsive education, community power, and collective care.
College access, scholarships, mentoring, leadership development, and advising for high-achieving, under-resourced students pursuing higher education.
Places support specialists in schools to improve attendance, academic achievement, and social-emotional well-being for students facing barriers to success.
Provides engaging programs, resources, and services to youth ages 12 to 18.
Mecklenburg County’s workforce board includes several programs for youth and young adults ages 16-24 to support their future career aspirations.
Serves Mecklenburg County as the 16th-largest public school district in the nation.
The official nonprofit arm of CMS that leverages and stewards private dollars to help the district achieve its highest goals.
Leads initiatives that strengthen social-emotional skills, build confidence, and create opportunities for youth voice and leadership at every level—from classroom to citywide engagement.
Offers a hub for teens to gain valuable leadership skills, academic support and professional mentorship – all while exploring the exciting world of science, technology, engineering and math.
Provides work-based programs for underserved college students by leveraging partnerships with local companies, nonprofits, and government agencies to provide paid internships.
Leads programs that combine K-12 education and real-life experiences that help to narrow civic learning gaps and develop a new generation of civic leaders.
Partners with talented, first-generation students from underserved communities, helping them successfully navigate into and through college.
Supported by adult volunteers and mentors, offers programming designed to build confidence, courage and character.
Provides learning experiences that promote transferable skills students need to achieve economic mobility.
Supports initiatives focused on academic, mental wellness, college preparation and career readiness to improve outcomes for boys and young men of color.
School-based, youth development and student support program designed to help teens develop the skills to succeed in school and life.
Provides continuous support from high school classrooms to equip young professionals with the skills and opportunities to unlock lasting career growth.
Improves the health of adolescents by providing adolescent medicine and behavioral health services, education, advocacy, leadership development.
Supports LGBTQ+ youth by offering vital programs, fostering unconditional acceptance, and creating safe spaces for self-expression through leadership, community support and advocacy.
Reaches younger children through After School and Summer Camp programs, raising high school leaders who become mentors in these programs.
Offers camps, mentorship, and educational opportunities that positively affect students’ outcomes.
Works to build thriving, inclusive, and connected communities through its camps, programs and activities.
Provides services that promote accountability and address complex individual and family challenges as alternatives to youth incarceration and residential placements.
Serves disadvantaged youth to illuminate pathways out of poverty through evidence-based programming, guidance and life skills-based training.
Tools and Resources
Everything you need in one place. Browse articles, reports, and tools that support your journey.
Lingo to Know
Every topic has its own vocabulary. Learn a few key words here so you can explore with confidence.
Disconnected Youth
16 to 24-year-olds who are neither in school nor working.
Leadership development
Building essential life skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving through civic engagement and service.
Mentorship
A professional or personal relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person (the mentor) guides and supports another individual.
Social-emotional learning
The educational process through which individuals learn to manage emotions, develop empathy, build healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions.
Third spaces
A social environment separate from home (the first place) and work/school (the second place) where people gather to relax, socialize, and build community.
Transferable skills
Foundational abilities and qualities – like communication, problem-solving, and adaptability – that are not tied to a single job, company, or industry.
Connecting the Dots
View related folios
Builder Button → Share Your Feedback With Us
Let's Build Something Awesome Together
We didn’t build this alone – and we’re not done yet. This site grows with input from real people across Charlotte. Got feedback? A topic we missed? A story to share? Click the Builder Button below.
Builder Button → Share Your Feedback With Us
Let's Build Something Awesome Together
We didn’t build this alone – and we’re not done yet. This site grows with input from real people across Charlotte. Got feedback? A topic we missed? A story to share? Click the Builder Button below.
