FAQs for School Administrators and Teachers

Young Life is a non-profit organization founded in 1941 and is active in all 50 states and more than 70 foreign countries. The smallest organizational unit in Young Life is the local "area." Each area is responsible for organizing one or more "clubs," which usually consist of kids attending the same high school or middle school. While those clubs may be referred to by the name of the school students in that club attend, Young Life neither claims nor seeks a formal or official association with either public or private high schools. Local areas are each part of a larger "region," which in turn are organized into "divisions" of which there are four in the United States and two abroad. Each local area is supported by a "committee" of adults who help with fundraising and serve as ambassadors for Young Life in their communities. Locate area, regional or divisional offices or staff nearest you.

Young Life is non-denominational. Our staff and volunteers are both Protestant and Catholic; all subscribe to Young Life’s Statement of Faith.

Yes. Young Life is aware of and seeks to comply with the law regarding the separation of church and state. While our programs in each community are generally organized according to the schools students attend, Young Life has no official affiliation with or endorsement by those schools. Young Life meetings rarely take place on school grounds, though our leaders often meet with individual students on campus. Any Young Life presence on school grounds always takes place in strict compliance with the First Amendment and within guidelines established by local school officials.

Keeping Kids Safe is a priority for Young Life. As such, all Young Life staff and volunteer leaders go through a careful screening process that consists of an application, interview(s), character references and criminal background checks. For more information on Young Life’s screening process, click here.