In 2003, a gathering initiated by a group of local philanthropic institutions was held to focus on solutions to the lack of developmental opportunities and safe spaces for young people during out-of-school time within the city proper of Washington, DC. That first meeting led to a year and a half-long dialogue about the programmatic and resource impediments limiting nongovernmental youth-engaged organizations in their delivery of developmental services generally. The outcome of the dialogue was the decision, made by more than 20 participating youth-engaged organizations, to form an alliance among themselves, youth, and concerned residents to advocate collectively for the greater good of youth in DC.
Fast forward to 2011 and DCAYA is a vibrant, diverse and registered 501.c.3 non-profit membership organization with over 100 members to our name.We envision a community where no youth is considered at-risk and where all are respected as valued community members. To this end, we work to establish structured opportunities for adolescents to become safe, healthy, resilient, and confident community members.