Youth Strengthening Youth Program

The purpose of the Youth Strengthening Youth Program is to provide outstanding
Asian/ Pacific Islander high school students with

• A caring, respectful network of friends
• The ability and desire to support and guide other youth and
• increased responsibility, maturity, and compassion

YSYP is a place:

• where your background makes no difference
• where your voice will be heard
• to meet youth dealing with the same issues you are
• to be truly understood
• to get together with other youth with the same concerns as you

YSYP consists of several components:

• Summer Retreat
• Winter Retreat
• Leadership Training
• Youth Council

To learn more about each of these activities click here

History

The Youth Strengthening Youth Program (YSYP) has been in operation since 1985. It is funded by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the State of Colorado. YSYP is sponsored by the Asian Pacific Development Center in Aurora, Colorado. When YSYP first started, it was just the "APDC Youth Program." The program consisted of a small summer retreat and monthly training sessions. Over time, it was decided the name "Youth Strengthening Youth" would be adopted. The name embodies the spirit and the ideals of helping ourselves and our peers through a caring, respectful network of friends, a nurturing support staff, and training that teach us how to deal with everyday issues. Over the years, YSYP has evolved into the strong youth program that it is today. YSYP now includes a large, successful summer retreat, a follow-up winter retreat, bi-monthly training and the youth council. YSYP continues to grow as more Asian youth decide that it's time to make a difference in the community around them.