Ohio-West Virginia Youth Leadership Association

The Ohio-West Virginia Youth Leadership Association (YLA) believes in helping youth achieve their full potential. We seek to help youth develop leadership and citizenship skills for a lifelong commitment to service through character-building programs for all. YLA works to strengthen the base of ethical civic leadership working to renew family, school, business, organizational, and communities across our state, region, and nation. It is our vision that persons with YLA experience will be in every community helping to create better futures for all. YLA works toward its vision through an asset-based-learning model, in which we develop leadership by connecting meaningful community service with personal growth, civic responsibilty, community building, and reflection.

The Ohio-West Virginia Youth Leadership Association (YLA) works with youth throughout Ohio and West Virginia to empower them with the knowledge and familiarity of being vital, well informed and active citizens in not only their families or schools but also their community. YLA is a community service based organization with programs such as Youth in Government and Model United Nations. Both programs give the youth hands on learning experience. YG brings the students into the Statehouse & Ohio Supreme Court for 3 days learning first hand how our government & justice system works. Model United Nations allows them to take on the problems of the world and find solutions. All programs give them experience in research, public speaking, debating, critical thinking, and the desire to be active citizens and the future of our world.