Youth Rising (YR) was founded in 2014 by Tasha Locks and a handful of youth in rural Southern Oregon. Since then, YR has begun to develop into a nationwide youth-led agency working to serve transitional-age youth (ages 12-24). YR serves young people who experience barriers to positive social connections, employment, safe and supportive housing, and quality mental health & substance abuse treatment services. We help to meet those needs by amplifying youth voices and by empowering them to improve the systems that serve them through our model programming which includes drop-in centers, peer support services, life and leadership skill-building, career exploration and paid internships.