YouthFirst
JFCS’ YouthFirst Department helps teens develop the necessary life skills to move into young adulthood smoothly, successfully, and responsibly through a Jewish values-based lens. Our innovative programs include Jewish service-learning, leadership skills development, peer mental health training, internships, and career exploration.
In each of our four regions—Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Palo Alto—we provide teens with a cohort of peers to learn and grow together.
- Impact Year Leadership Program: Being an Impact Year Leader is a great way to better understand our community’s needs while building new leadership skills. With the support of the YouthFirst staff, leaders collaboratively create and execute service and advocacy projects for their local communities.
- Peer Mental Health Advocates: Our Peer Mental Health Advocates are teens in our own community who play a unique role at Jewish Family and Children’s Services in promoting the importance of maintaining mental health, building a culture of support and care, and advocating for change in our legislation.
- Summer Internship Program: JFCS offers six-week paid summer internships to qualified students entering grade 10, 11, and 12 in the fall. Our internship program is a great opportunity to learn valuable on-the-job skills, gain paid work experience and meet other Bay Area teens.
