Long Beach is proving that when you give young people the power to decide, incredible things happen. This spring, 1,976 youth ages 12-26 made their voices heard in the city's third annual Youth Power Participatory Budgeting project, tripling last year's participation and directing $550,000 toward programs they believe will make the biggest difference in their community.

The citywide participatory budget process allows nonprofits aligned with the Youth and Emerging Adults Strategic Plan to receive funding for youth empowerment initiatives. All ballot projects were developed by youth and youth-serving nonprofits.

This year’s results speak volumes to what matters most to Long Beach's next generation. In April, emerging young adults voted at high schools, teen centers, libraries and community organizations selecting 11 winning programs from 24 proposals submitted in January. The winners received a $50,000 grant to launch this summer.

Most powerfully, young voters chose to invest in each other. They selected programs that create opportunities for peers to thrive, heal and grow together. Success in Challenges' "Youth Education and Adjustment Housing" program will provide housing assistance and life skills training for young people facing instability, while Breaking the Cycle creates safe spaces for healing from generational trauma.

Youth Voting Booth

They also prioritized building community connections through hands-on service. The Volunteer Center's "Impact Makers: Act Now Long Beach" empowers teens to engage in service projects to assist unhoused peers, while Sowing Seeds of Change's "Cultivating Young Chefs" teaches youth to grow food and turn recipes into real businesses. Algalita's ocean leadership camp promises young people an opportunity to connect during six weeks of outdoor programming including kayaking, beach cleanups and marine science.

Physical and mental wellness emerged as another priority, with Devotion Fitness creating free boxing, pickleball and roller-skating spaces for our younger community members, and the YMCA's "Y Not Project" offering basketball leagues, volleyball camps and epic pool parties.

Preparing for independence also captured attention through Elite Skills Development's life skills program, teaching everything from budgeting to first aid, while Our Generation Cares' comprehensive driver education program combines digital learning with hands-on driving experience. Both programs help ensure participants have the skills they need to succeed.

Youth Power PB, a Measure US.-funded initiative, isn’t just about programs—it’s about young people identifying and investing in solutions that uplift our entire community, creating impactful change in Long Beach. Through their leadership, Youth Power PB participants prove that when young people lead, communities thrive.

Ready to join the action? Programs launch this summer with everything from ocean kayaking and boxing classes to driver's ed and entrepreneurship training and many offer free food, community service hours, scholarships and real-world skills like budgeting and meal prep. Contact details are available on the Office of Youth Development Youth Fund webpage.