Counseling & Prevention
Counseling & Prevention
Community & Afterschool
Community & Afterschool
Workforce Development
Workforce Development

At Youth Guidance, we believe that no matter what challenges a young person faces, they are more likely to succeed when they have many caring adults in their lives. Our highly trained staff works directly with schools, parents and families to meet kids where they are—physically within schools, socially and emotionally—and help them break cycles of violence, overcome life and academic obstacles, make positive choices, and remain on the right path towards life success.

Youth Guidance serves more than 13,000 students in Chicago’s schools. More than 95% of our students are African-American and Hispanic/Latino. Most reside in low income communities.

Here are some of their stories.

Youth Guidance is dedicated to keeping more kids on track towards graduation, good jobs and a happy and successful life.  Each year, we partner with Chicago Public Schools across Chicago to bring youth mentoring, counseling services, workforce development opportunities, and safe afterschool programming to communities hit hardest by violence and poverty.

By doing so, we believe that we are improving the odds for success for our youth.

For more than 96 years, Youth Guidance has fought to safeguard their potential and give them the encouragement, support and love they need for success in school and in life.  Yet for every young person our agency touches, there are so many others who need dedicated support. We hope that as you explore our website, you will also consider the many ways that you can join us in our mission. Attend an upcoming event, extend a gift or volunteer. All support is welcome and appreciated.

Together, we can give more young men and women in Chicago a chance at the life and future they hope for and deserve.