Youth Guardian Services

Founded by a gay teenager in 1997, Youth Guardian Services has modestly grown to be a life-saving operation that helps support nearly 1,000 gay and questioning youth on a daily basis. One reason that YGS is so unique is that it is founded on the principle that together youth can make real positive differences in the lives of other youth. Most of the organization's project staff are youth, and all of the Executive Staff, as well as 60% of the organization's Board of Directors are young people who are 25 years old or younger. Strong adult-youth partnerships, in addition to its unique niche using Internet-based projects that are managed by youth volunteers is what makes this organization successful in its mission to provide support services to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, straight supportive, and HIV+ youth.