YF Academy

"One of the most impactful aspects of the Academy has been the space it created for authentic connection and reflection. Being surrounded by other purpose-driven leaders reminded me that I don’t have to carry everything alone. There’s power in shared vision and vulnerability. Professionally, the structure and accountability helped me sharpen my focus around scaling and branding, and personally, it gave me the reminder I didn’t know I needed: that building something meaningful doesn’t have to come at the cost of my peace. The combination of community, strategy, and soul made this experience feel like more than just a program, it felt like alignment."

“I can’t say enough good things about Young Futures. Being part of this cohort has given me access to a network of brilliant, passionate leaders who are all working toward making the world better for young people. And having a mentor has been invaluable. Sometimes, as a leader, you feel like you’re figuring things out on your own. But being able to tap into the knowledge and experience of others has been so affirming.”

“Young Futures gave us the space and permission to envision more. If you had asked us where we want to be in five years, two years ago, we wouldn’t have had a clear vision. But now, we see how much our work is part of a larger movement to address youth mental health and engagement. We feel like we’re not just running a program; we’re part of something much bigger. It’s given us a sense of belonging and a renewed sense of purpose. We’re not just supporting youth in New Orleans—we’re part of a national conversation about amplifying youth voices.”

"Young Futures challenged us to think bigger—to move from ‘what’s possible’ to ‘what’s next.’ The investment in me as a leader has been really incredible. Like a lot of us in the nonprofit space, I’ve learned by doing. To have some sort of formal investment in me as a leader, to be part of a cohort that has worked to help me grow and reflect and build new skills—that’s not something I’ve had before."

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"What Young Futures is doing can't be understated. They're validating that these issues matter and that organizations like ours play an important role. Taken together, it creates momentum much bigger than any of us could achieve alone.
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It really does feel like we're all in this together. There's this sense of goodwill where cohort members show up to support each other's work, offering substantive thought partnership, making connections to funders, amplifying each other's efforts."

“The experience itself [YF Academy] has also helped refine the organization from everything from board development, to operations and systems, to communications, storytelling... It was a really, really, really big deal.
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Young Futures gets it. They pay real attention and center the youth voice and experience. They understand the value of creating a cohort. The technical assistance is really valuable and accessible, and it's not something that ever felt like homework.”