Our Mission
The Mayor's Office-Division of Youth Services strives to ensure that youth in the city of Birmingham are provided with quality, efficient and effective programs and activities.

Our Past
In 1992, a Youth Advisory Commission was formed to address teen pregnancy, education and illiteracy, youth gang violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and unemployment issues affecting Birmingham's youth. From this Commission, the City of Birmingham's Division of Youth Services was created. The Division's role was to develop an approach to address these and other issues directly affecting our city's youth population.

Our Present
In May 2002, Mayor Bernard Kincaid created the S.E.C.U.R.E. Youth Task Force. S.E.C.U.R.E. is an acronym for Support, Educate, Council, Understand, Respect and Enrich. The goal of the Task Force was to recommend systemic use of the City's resources to: (1) Provide increased access to youth services; (2) Design programs to encourage academic excellence; and, (3) Promote safety for our young citizens. The Division of Youth Services uses its four-pronged approach to support the recommendations of the Task Force.

Youth Participation
DYS supports programs, projects & activities that involve youth in the decision-making process, and offer safe environments that encourage growth and development.

Youth First Dream Team
The Youth First Dream Team consists of a group of public, private and community leaders who have come together to promote projects and activities that have a positive impact on youth.

Youth Info Clearinghouse
Through its Olive Branch Project, DYS uses its leverage as a government agency to provide exposure to agencies that serve Birmingham youth through its Youth First Newsletter & Calendar of Events.

Youth First Umbrella
DYS oversees youth service agencies that receive funding from the City of Birmingham. Facilitating this process allows DYS to monitor tax dollars dedicated to youth-related programs, services and activities.

Our Future
The Division of Youth Services is striving to reconnect those who may have been disconnected, and to provide a voice to those often unheard - Our Youth. With our dedicated staff and committed partners, we are ready to move our young people forward; and, because we are a determined team, our primary goal will always be to continue putting Birmingham's "Youth First!"