Youth Driven Spaces (YDS) refers to a positive youth development environment where youths partner with adults to meaningfully engage in decision-making throughout the organization’s governance and programming activities. Led by the Neutral Zone, youth-serving agencies participating in this initiative receive intensive coaching and training supports to promote youth leadership, social and emotional learning, and effective school and community change. 

YDS involves three core practices:

• Tapping teens’ intrinsic motivation
• Supporting teens’ developmental needs
• Fostering genuine partnerships between adults and youth