The International Youth Foundation (IYF) is working in more than 70 countries and territories to improve the conditions and prospects for young people where they live, learn, work, and play. Established in 1990 to bring worldwide resources to young people in need, IYF works with hundreds of companies, foundations, and civil society organizations to strengthen and "scale up" existing programs that are making a positive and lasting difference in young lives.

Over the last 17 years, IYF and its global network of in-country Partners have helped millions of young people gain access to the life skills, education, job training and opportunities critical to their success.

With the support of IYF and its partners, young South Africans are developing marketable skills in information technology; school dropouts in Australia are becoming young entrepreneurs; youth in Mexico are gaining leadership skills; and young people in China are running their own web-based newspaper.

Identifying and Supporting "What Works"

IYF is based on the premise that throughout the world there are thousands of effective programs and approaches making a profound and lasting difference in young lives. Rather than build new programs from scratch, our mission is to identify programs “that work,” strengthen their impact, and expand their reach so that many more young people may benefit.

All of IYF’s program activity is clustered around four issue areas, which form the core thrust of IYF’s global youth initiatives. These are: Education, Employability, Leadership and Engagement and Health Education and Awareness.

A Global Network of Partners

In carrying out our mission, IYF works collaboratively with a global network of highly respected, innovative, and independent organizations – each deeply rooted in addressing youth issues at the local level. These IYF in-country Partners are widely recognized as leaders in youth development, and are united by certain core strategies and objectives. Together, we strengthen effective programs, advocate for improved policies benefiting children and youth, and increase philanthropy for young people at the local and international level. By linking its Partners to international investors and donors, IYF directs much needed resources to some of the most effective programs serving young people today.

A Multi-Sector Approach

Recognizing that no one sector of society has the resources or expertise to effectively address the challenges facing today’s young people, IYF serves as a catalyst to create strategic alliances among the corporate, government, and civil society sectors as a way to maximize the impact and reach of youth development programs. Many of these multi-sectoral partnerships are multi-million dollar initiatives carried out in multiple countries, funded over a period of three to five years. IYF also partners with multi-lateral institutions such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Focus on Prevention

Those programs identified and supported by IYF and its partners are preventive in nature and promote the confidence, character, competence, and "connectedness" of young people to their family, peers, and community. Programs provide support and services in such areas as vocational training, health education, recreation, cultural tolerance, environmental awareness, and the development of leadership, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills.

In addition to supporting existing programs, IYF works to increase global awareness of children and youth issues, strengthen the organizational skills of youth program leaders, and promote greater knowledge and application of best practices for young people. The net aim of these efforts is to increase the effectiveness, scale, and sustainability of proven approaches to meeting young people's needs.