The Youth Empowerment & Leadership (YEL) Program serves Erie County youth ages 13–18 who would benefit from structured, after-school programming focused on leadership development, social-emotional skills, and positive peer engagement.

YEL is best suited for youth who:

• can participate safely in a group setting

• benefit from structure, routine, and adult mentorship

• are able to attend consistently

• are not currently in behavioral or mental health crisis

• do not require regular one-to-one supervision

Who Can Refer a Youth:

Self-referrals are not accepted. YEL accepts referrals only from professionals, including:

• school-based mental health staff

• juvenile probation officers

• care coordinators or case managers

• youth-serving community organizations

Important Program Notes

• YEL is not a clinical treatment program

• YEL does not provide crisis intervention or therapy

• Youth requiring intensive behavioral or mental health services may be referred to more appropriate programs

• Enrollment is space-limited and dependent on staffing and transportation capacity