ABOUT US

The Missouri YouthBuild Coalition

The Missouri YouthBuild Coalition is a statewide network of YouthBuild programs that collaborate to strengthen services for disengaged youth, share best practices, elevate the visibility of the YouthBuild platform’s impact, and advocacy across Missouri. The coalition brings together programs from regions including Columbia, St. Joseph, Joplin and Cape Girardeau (non-members coalition members in St. Louis and Kansas City area) to coordinate training models, academic pathways, and supportive services that help young people re‑engage in education and workforce development. Its work is grounded in the broader mission of YouthBuild, which partners with opportunity youth to build the skill-sets and mindsets needed for lifelong learning, employment, and leadership.

The coalition also plays a key role in statewide advocacy and public engagement. For example, during its Capitol Day event in Jefferson City, YouthBuild trainees from across Missouri demonstrated construction skills, shared personal stories with policymakers, and highlighted how YouthBuild programs address the state’s workforce shortages by preparing young people for in‑demand careers. This event showcased hands‑on builds such as park benches and garden beds, reinforcing the coalition’s commitment to service learning, leadership development, and industry‑aligned training.

Through shared initiatives like “Missouri‑Building Missouri,” the coalition works to secure sustainable funding, expand program capacity, and ensure more young people have access to YouthBuild’s comprehensive model that combines education, workforce training, and leadership development through civic engagement opportunities. Its efforts align with the global YouthBuild movement, which supports opportunity youth worldwide through education, job training, and leadership development. 

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Our Mission

With love and respect, we partner with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership.

Our Vision

YouthBuild strives to create a world where all young people are seen for their potential, and power to transform themselves and their communities.

YouthBuild's Approach

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With love and respect, YouthBuild partners with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership. In the United States, opportunity youth are young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are out of school and out of work. In many countries outside of the US, this group may include those between 15 and 29 years of age.Within the opportunity youth population, YouthBuild primarily serves young people who lack a high school diploma and financial resources. These young people are in greatest need of tools to succeed, and they are our greatest source of untapped potential to bolster economic mobility and transform the world. YouthBuild works and makes a difference for young people that other networks exclude.

Across hundreds of YouthBuild programs around the world, these young people work together to reclaim their education, gain job skills and credentials, and become leaders in their communities. We partner with opportunity youth and stand ready to meet them with knowledge, tools, opportunities, and love.

YouthBuild centers positive youth development and youth voice as we lead a global movement to create a world that works for millions of opportunity youth. We do this by demonstrating what the unique YouthBuild model makes possible, sharing YouthBuild programs’ remarkable success, and championing opportunity youth as they achieve their ambitions and reach their full potential.

We Convene

We bring local programs together to collaborate, learn from each other, and grow professionally and personally to advance YouthBuild’s mission.

We Lead

We guide and advance network vision, strategy, and operations in partnership with elected leadership and affiliates to fulfill YouthBuild’s mission.

We Partner

We generate, leverage, and scale partnerships, learnings, resources, and funding to empower programs to achieve YouthBuild’s mission.

We Champion

We advocate for YouthBuild and opportunity youth, center youth voice, champion our model, and elevate the collective impact of our network to attract diverse support to sustain YouthBuild’s mission.