Youth Program Case Studies
Beyond statistics and program descriptions lies the real impact of youth development work: transformed lives and strengthened communities. This collection of case studies highlights ten successful youth programs in New Orleans that have demonstrated exceptional results. These examples span various focus areas—from education to arts, from environmental justice to career readiness—and showcase the diverse approaches that effectively support young people in our city.
Each case study examines a program's origins, methodologies, measurable outcomes, and the factors that contribute to its success. Together, they illustrate how thoughtful program design, committed leadership, community partnerships, and youth-centered approaches can create lasting positive change despite the significant challenges facing New Orleans youth.
These success stories provide both inspiration and practical insights for anyone interested in supporting young people's development and well-being in our city.
Case Study 1: Liberty's Kitchen Youth Development Program
Program Overview
Liberty's Kitchen's Youth Development Program (YDP) provides disconnected young adults (16-24) with culinary and life skills training, wrap-around support, and employment placement services. The program operates as both a workforce development initiative and a social enterprise, with trainees gaining real-world experience in Liberty's Kitchen's café and catering operations.
The Need
New Orleans has one of the highest rates of opportunity youth (young people neither in school nor working) in the nation—approximately 14% of youth ages 16-24. Many face barriers including unstable housing, justice system involvement, and limited educational attainment.
Program Approach
Liberty's Kitchen's 12-week program combines:
- Culinary Skills Training: Professional food preparation techniques and safety certification
- Workforce Readiness: Punctuality, communication, conflict resolution, resume building
- Personal Growth: Financial literacy, emotional regulation, goal setting
- Support Services: Case management addressing housing, transportation, childcare, legal issues
- Paid Training: Participants earn stipends while completing the program
- Employment Placement: Job search assistance and employer partnerships
Distinctive Elements
What sets Liberty's Kitchen apart is its holistic approach that addresses participants' basic needs while building technical and soft skills. The program creates a supportive community where young people often find stability lacking elsewhere. Additionally, the social enterprise model provides authentic work experience while generating revenue that supports the program.
Results & Impact
Over the past five years, Liberty's Kitchen has demonstrated remarkable success:
- Program Completion: 75% of participants complete the full 12-week program
- Employment Outcomes: 80% of graduates secure employment, with 65% retaining their positions for at least one year
- Wage Increases: Graduates' average hourly wages increase from $8.75 to $12.50 within their first year of employment
- Housing Stability: 82% of graduates who were housing-insecure at intake secure stable housing by program completion
- Recidivism Reduction: Less than 10% of justice-involved participants reoffend within two years (compared to over 40% citywide)
According to their 2023 Impact Report, Liberty's Kitchen has served over 800 young adults since its founding, with alumni working in more than 100 businesses throughout the New Orleans area.
Key Success Factors
- Holistic approach addressing multiple barriers simultaneously
- Authentic work experience through social enterprise model
- Strong employer partnerships for job placement
- Comprehensive follow-up support for two years post-graduation
- Alumni network providing ongoing community and mentorship
Case Study 2: STEM NOLA Design Squad
Program Overview
STEM NOLA's Design Squad is an intensive after-school and summer program that engages middle school students from underrepresented backgrounds in hands-on engineering challenges. The program culminates in a city-wide design competition where teams present solutions to real community problems.
The Need
New Orleans students, particularly students of color, have historically had limited access to high-quality STEM education. This contributes to significant underrepresentation in STEM higher education programs and careers, despite growing demand for these skills in the regional economy.
Program Approach
The Design Squad program features:
- Project-Based Learning: Students work in teams on engineering challenges with real-world applications
- Design Thinking Process: Structured approach to problem identification, ideation, prototyping, and iteration
- Industry Mentorship: Professional engineers and scientists serve as team mentors
- Community Connection: Projects address actual challenges in students' neighborhoods
- Family Engagement: Regular family nights showcase student work and build parent support
- Technology Access: Participants receive laptops and internet access for continued learning
Distinctive Elements
STEM NOLA's approach stands out for its community-centered focus—engineering projects directly address neighborhood issues identified by residents. Additionally, the program intentionally creates a "near-peer" mentoring pipeline, with high school and college students serving as assistant mentors alongside professionals, creating visible pathways to STEM careers.
Results & Impact
STEM NOLA's Design Squad has achieved significant results:
- Academic Performance: 87% of participants show improved math and science grades after one year
- STEM Engagement: 92% of participants report increased interest in STEM careers
- Advanced Course Enrollment: 78% of alumni enroll in advanced STEM courses in high school
- Competition Success: Design Squad teams have won 12 regional and 3 national awards for their projects
- College Matriculation: 85% of Design Squad alumni pursue post-secondary education, with 65% choosing STEM majors
- Community Impact: Student projects have been implemented in 15 New Orleans neighborhoods
Dr. Calvin Mackie, founder of STEM NOLA, notes: "We're not just teaching STEM skills—we're showing students how to apply those skills to solve the challenges they see in their own communities. When a student designs a solution to flooding on their own block, they understand that engineering isn't abstract—it's a powerful tool for creating change."
Key Success Factors
- Connecting STEM education to community needs and priorities
- Creating multiple layers of mentorship (professional, college, high school)
- Providing technology resources for home use
- Engaging families throughout the process
- Celebrating achievements through competitions and public recognition
Case Study 3: Dancing Grounds Youth Company
Program Overview
Dancing Grounds Youth Company is an intensive dance training and youth development program serving primarily Black and Latina girls from New Orleans' 7th, 8th, and 9th Wards. The program provides high-quality dance instruction, leadership development, and performance opportunities while addressing barriers that traditionally limit access to dance education.
The Need
Many New Orleans youth, particularly girls of color, lack access to arts education due to program costs, transportation barriers, and limited offerings in public schools. Additionally, these communities have high rates of trauma exposure and limited safe spaces for creative expression and empowerment.
Program Approach
The Youth Company combines:
- Technical Dance Training: Ballet, modern, hip-hop, and African dance techniques
- Youth-Led Choreography: Participants create original dance works addressing social issues
- Community Performances: Regular performances in neighborhood venues and city-wide events
- Academic Support: Homework assistance, college application guidance, academic monitoring
- Leadership Development: Peer teaching, public speaking, event planning
- Trauma-Informed Practice: Movement-based activities supporting emotional regulation and healing
Distinctive Elements
Dancing Grounds stands out for its neighborhood-based approach—operating in the heart of the 9th Ward rather than requiring students to travel to more affluent areas for arts education. The program also explicitly connects dance to social justice, using movement as a vehicle for youth to process community challenges and advocate for change.
Results & Impact
The Youth Company has demonstrated powerful outcomes:
- Academic Achievement: 95% high school graduation rate among participants (compared to 80% district-wide)
- College Access: 80% of alumni enroll in higher education, with 30% pursuing arts-related majors
- Mental Health: Participants show significant improvements on measures of self-esteem, emotional regulation, and resilience
- Leadership Development: 85% of participants lead workshops for younger children or their peers
- Professional Pathways: Alumni have gone on to study dance at prestigious institutions including Juilliard, NYU Tisch, and NOCCA
- Community Impact: Youth Company performances and workshops reach over 5,000 community members annually
Dancing Grounds' Executive Director stated in their 2024 annual report: "By bringing high-quality dance education directly to neighborhoods that have been historically excluded from arts opportunities, we're challenging the notion that artistic excellence only happens in certain parts of the city. Our students are proving that exceptional art can emerge from any community when young people have access, opportunity, and support."
Key Success Factors
- Neighborhood-based programming eliminating transportation barriers
- Integration of artistic training with academic and socioemotional support
- Youth leadership in creative decision-making
- Connections to professional dance opportunities and higher education
- Strong community relationships and neighborhood identity
Case Study 4: Youth Rebuilding New Orleans (YRNO)
Program Overview
Youth Rebuilding New Orleans (YRNO) engages young people in hands-on construction and housing development while addressing neighborhood blight. The program teaches valuable trade skills while converting vacant properties into affordable housing for teachers and other essential workers.
The Need
New Orleans continues to struggle with housing blight, affordable housing shortages, and limited vocational education opportunities for youth. Additionally, many young people lack meaningful connections to neighborhood revitalization efforts despite having a significant stake in the community's future.
Program Approach
YRNO's model includes:
- Construction Skills Training: Hands-on instruction in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and finishing work
- Paid Apprenticeships: Stipends for youth participants during training
- Service Learning: Academic credit for high school students
- Property Acquisition: Purchasing blighted properties through partnerships with New Orleans Redevelopment Authority
- Home Sales: Renovated homes sold at affordable prices to teachers and first responders
- Volunteer Management: Youth participants learn to lead volunteer groups
Distinctive Elements
YRNO stands out for its dual impact on both youth development and community revitalization. The program creates a tangible, visible result of youth work—renovated homes in once-blighted neighborhoods. Additionally, by focusing sales on teachers and other community-serving professionals, the program strengthens neighborhood stability while addressing housing affordability.
Results & Impact
Since its founding after Hurricane Katrina, YRNO has achieved impressive results:
- Youth Engagement: More than 700 young people have completed the training program
- Skills Development: 85% of participants earn industry-recognized credentials
- Career Pathways: 70% of graduates pursue careers in construction or related fields
- Academic Impact: Participants show 30% improvement in math skills through applied learning
- Housing Creation: 45 blighted properties renovated and sold as affordable housing
- Teacher Retention: 90% of teachers purchasing YRNO homes remain in New Orleans schools for at least five years
William Stoudt, YRNO's Executive Director, has noted: "When young people transform an abandoned house into a beautiful home, they're not just learning construction skills—they're rebuilding their own sense of what's possible in New Orleans. The physical transformation of properties mirrors the personal transformation happening with our youth."
Key Success Factors
- Connecting youth development to tangible community improvement
- Providing multiple entry points for involvement (volunteer, apprentice, staff)
- Creating visible evidence of youth contribution to community
- Building strong partnerships with schools for academic credit
- Addressing multiple community needs simultaneously (blight, affordable housing, workforce development)
Case Study 5: Rethink Youth Climate Justice Collective
Program Overview
Rethink's Youth Climate Justice Collective engages young people ages 13-18 in education, organizing, and advocacy around environmental justice issues affecting New Orleans neighborhoods. The youth-led program builds leadership while addressing climate vulnerabilities in frontline communities.
The Need
New Orleans faces existential threats from climate change, with low-income communities and communities of color bearing disproportionate impacts from flooding, extreme heat, and industrial pollution. Despite being most affected, young people from these communities have historically been excluded from climate planning and policy decisions.
Program Approach
The Climate Justice Collective features:
- Youth-Led Research: Participatory action research on environmental conditions in participants' neighborhoods
- Community Education: Youth-designed workshops and materials on climate justice
- Policy Advocacy: Direct engagement with city officials and agencies
- Green Infrastructure Projects: Youth-led design and implementation of climate adaptation solutions
- Intergenerational Organizing: Partnership with adult environmental justice organizations
- Media Production: Youth-created podcasts, videos, and social media campaigns
Distinctive Elements
Rethink's approach stands out for centering youth leadership—participants don't simply join adult-led initiatives but drive the agenda and strategy themselves. The program also explicitly connects environmental issues to racial justice, economic equity, and youth rights, helping participants analyze root causes rather than just symptoms of environmental challenges.
Results & Impact
The Climate Justice Collective has achieved significant wins:
- Policy Influence: Youth-led campaign resulted in the city adopting new requirements for industrial facilities near schools and residences
- Green Infrastructure: Designed and implemented 12 schoolyard water management projects with measurable flood reduction
- Heat Mapping: Youth-conducted heat mapping study identified priority areas for tree planting and cooling centers
- Educational Reach: Climate justice curriculum developed by youth adopted by 15 schools
- Youth Leadership: 90% of participants report increased civic engagement and community leadership
- Career Pathways: 65% of alumni pursue higher education or careers in environmental fields
In testimony before the New Orleans City Council in 2023, a youth member of the Climate Justice Collective stated: "The flooding and extreme heat in our neighborhoods isn't natural disaster—it's environmental racism that can be traced to specific policy decisions. We're here today because we've done the research, we have the data, and we have solutions that come directly from the communities most affected."
Key Success Factors
- Authentic youth leadership in all aspects of the program
- Connecting personal experiences to systemic issues
- Combining education, organizing, and concrete projects
- Building diverse coalitions with adult allies
- Creating visible wins that demonstrate youth power
Case Study 6: Son of a Saint Mentoring Program
Program Overview
Son of a Saint provides comprehensive mentoring and support services to boys who have lost their fathers due to incarceration, death, or abandonment. The program creates a network of positive male role models and wraparound services that guide participants from boyhood through young adulthood.
The Need
New Orleans has high rates of father absence due to various factors including incarceration, violence, and economic pressures. Boys without father figures face increased risks for academic challenges, behavioral issues, and justice system involvement. Traditional mentoring programs often lack the intensity and duration needed to address these complex challenges.
Program Approach
Son of a Saint's comprehensive model includes:
- One-on-One Mentoring: Carefully screened and trained mentors commit to long-term relationships
- Group Mentoring: Weekly gatherings for all participants featuring educational programming
- Mental Health Services: Individual and group therapy with licensed professionals
- Academic Support: Tutoring, school advocacy, and college preparation
- Enrichment Activities: Sports, music, arts, travel, and cultural experiences
- Case Management: Individualized support for participants and their families
- College and Career Guidance: Structured pathway to post-secondary success
Distinctive Elements
Son of a Saint stands out for its long-term commitment—boys enter as young as 10 and receive support through college. The program's comprehensive approach goes far beyond traditional mentoring to address multiple aspects of participants' development. Additionally, the organization builds a genuine brotherhood among participants, creating peer support that complements adult mentoring.
Results & Impact
Son of a Saint has demonstrated exceptional outcomes:
- Academic Achievement: 100% high school graduation rate (compared to 78% for similar demographics)
- College Access: 87% of graduates enroll in higher education or military service
- Behavioral Health: 80% reduction in school disciplinary incidents after one year
- Justice System Avoidance: Less than 2% of participants become justice-involved (compared to over 15% of similar demographics)
- Mental Health: Significant improvements in depression and anxiety measures
- Leadership Development: 75% of participants engage in community service
Bivian "Sonny" Lee III, founder and CEO of Son of a Saint, has emphasized: "When a boy loses his father, he loses more than just a parent—he loses a roadmap for becoming a man. Our program isn't about replacing fathers, but about creating a community of positive male influences and comprehensive support that helps these young men navigate their journey to adulthood with confidence and character."
Key Success Factors
- Long-term commitment throughout adolescent development
- Comprehensive approach addressing multiple needs
- Strong mental health component addressing trauma
- Creation of brotherhood and peer community
- Celebrating Black male excellence and leadership
Case Study 7: 826 New Orleans Writers' Room
Program Overview
826 New Orleans' Writers' Room program transforms public school classrooms into vibrant publishing centers where students ages 8-18 develop their writing skills, explore creative expression, and produce professional-quality publications. The program embeds teaching artists in schools for intensive, project-based writing education.
The Need
New Orleans students face significant literacy challenges, with only 32% reading at grade level. Creative writing and publishing are often deprioritized in high-stakes testing environments, despite their proven benefits for literacy development, critical thinking, and student engagement. Many talented young writers lack outlets for their voices and stories.
Program Approach
The Writers' Room model includes:
- In-School Programming: Professional writers work alongside teachers in regular classrooms
- Project-Based Learning: Students create books, anthologies, podcasts, and other publications
- Publishing Process: Students experience the complete cycle from drafting to editing to publication
- Public Readings: Community events where students share their work
- Professional Design: Student writing presented with professional-quality design and production
- Cultural Relevance: Projects reflect and honor students' lived experiences and cultural heritage
Distinctive Elements
826 New Orleans stands out for treating students as real authors rather than just learners. The program creates beautiful, professional publications that honor student voices and are distributed throughout the community. Additionally, the program works within schools rather than as an extracurricular activity, ensuring accessibility for all students regardless of family resources or transportation.
Results & Impact
The Writers' Room has achieved significant literacy and engagement outcomes:
- Writing Proficiency: Participating students show 40% greater improvement in writing assessments than peers
- Reading Engagement: 85% of participants report increased independent reading
- Academic Confidence: Teachers report significant improvements in classroom participation and assignment completion
- Publication Reach: Student publications have reached over 20,000 community members
- Long-term Impact: Alumni show higher rates of college persistence and report using writing skills in various careers
- Teacher Development: 95% of partner teachers report incorporating new teaching strategies after collaboration
A third-grade teacher at a partner school reported in a program evaluation: "The Writers' Room has transformed how my students see themselves. Children who were reluctant to write a single sentence are now proudly reading their published work to audiences. The improvement in their writing skills is remarkable, but even more important is the confidence they've developed as authors with important stories to tell."
Key Success Factors
- Integration into school day ensuring access for all students
- Professional-quality publishing validating student voices
- Partnership model building teacher capacity
- Cultural responsiveness to student experiences
- Connection to authentic audiences beyond school
Case Study 8: Louisiana Center for Children's Rights (LCCR) Youth Advocates
Program Overview
LCCR's Youth Advocates program trains and empowers young people with direct experience in the juvenile justice system to become leaders in system reform. Participants develop advocacy skills while educating policymakers and the public about juvenile justice issues from a youth perspective.
The Need
Louisiana has historically had one of the highest youth incarceration rates in the nation, with New Orleans contributing disproportionately to this trend. Policies affecting court-involved youth are typically developed without input from those most impacted, leading to approaches that fail to address root causes or support successful reentry.
Program Approach
The Youth Advocates program features:
- Leadership Development: Training in public speaking, policy analysis, and community organizing
- Peer Support: Creating community among justice-involved youth
- Policy Education: Learning about juvenile justice legislation and systems
- Legislative Advocacy: Direct engagement with lawmakers and officials
- Public Education: Presentations to community groups, schools, and media
- Youth-Led Research: Documenting experiences in the justice system
- Paid Positions: Stipends recognizing the value of youth expertise
Distinctive Elements
LCCR's approach stands out for centering the expertise of directly impacted youth rather than treating them solely as recipients of services. The program transforms the stigma of system involvement into a source of valuable insight for policy reform. Additionally, the program provides meaningful employment and leadership development for youth who often face significant barriers to opportunity.
Results & Impact
Youth Advocates has achieved remarkable system change outcomes:
- Policy Reform: Youth testimony was instrumental in passing legislation limiting juvenile solitary confinement
- Detention Reduction: Youth-led campaign contributed to 40% reduction in juvenile detention population
- Education Access: Advocates secured policy changes improving school reentry for justice-involved youth
- Public Awareness: Youth presenters have reached over 5,000 community members
- Leadership Trajectories: 80% of graduates pursue higher education or careers in advocacy
- Personal Transformation: Participants show significant increases in civic engagement and leadership skills
Aaron Clark-Rizzio, Executive Director of LCCR, has stated: "The young people most impacted by the juvenile justice system possess unique expertise that's essential for creating effective reforms. When youth advocates speak to legislators or community groups, they transform abstract policy debates into human realities that demand action. Their lived experience becomes a powerful tool for creating the changes they want to see in the system."
Key Success Factors
- Centering directly impacted youth as experts
- Providing skill development alongside advocacy opportunities
- Creating peer community among system-involved youth
- Connecting personal experiences to systemic issues
- Building relationships with decision-makers
Case Study 9: Make Music NOLA
Program Overview
Make Music NOLA provides intensive, ensemble-based classical music education to students in underserved New Orleans schools and neighborhoods. The program uses music as a vehicle for academic success, social-emotional development, and cultural connection.
The Need
Many New Orleans public schools lack music education despite the city's rich musical heritage. Access to instrumental instruction is especially limited in low-income communities, creating inequitable opportunities for artistic development. Additionally, while New Orleans celebrates its musical traditions, classical training that can lead to music careers or college scholarships remains inaccessible to many talented young people.
Program Approach
Make Music NOLA's model includes:
- School-Day Instruction: In-school string and wind ensemble programs during regular hours
- After-School Intensives: Additional instruction and rehearsals after school
- Summer Music Camp: Continued learning during school breaks
- Performance Opportunities: Regular concerts in schools and community venues
- Cross-Cultural Repertoire: Classical fundamentals combined with culturally relevant music
- Instrument Provision: Free instruments and maintenance for all participants
- Academic Integration: Music curriculum connected to classroom learning
Distinctive Elements
Make Music NOLA stands out for bringing classical music education directly to students in their schools and neighborhoods rather than requiring them to travel to specialized programs. The program intentionally balances rigorous classical training with music that reflects students' cultural heritage, including arrangements of jazz, soul, and New Orleans traditions. Additionally, the program's intensive approach provides the frequency and consistency needed for true musical development.
Results & Impact
Make Music NOLA has demonstrated powerful outcomes:
- Musical Proficiency: 85% of participants achieve grade-level or higher performance standards
- Academic Impact: Participants show 25% higher attendance and significantly better math scores than peers
- Social-Emotional Growth: Teachers report substantial improvements in focus, teamwork, and confidence
- Long-Term Engagement: 75% of students continue participation year to year
- Advanced Opportunities: Graduates have earned admission to NOCCA, Berklee College of Music, and other prestigious programs
- Community Impact: Program has revitalized school music departments in 12 previously underserved schools
Laura Patterson, Make Music NOLA's founder, has observed in program documentation: "Music education is not a luxury—it's a powerful tool for academic and personal development that should be available to all children regardless of zip code or family income. When our students master complex musical skills, they're not just becoming better musicians; they're developing discipline, teamwork, and confidence that transfer to every area of their lives."
Key Success Factors
- Meeting students where they are—geographically and culturally
- Providing all necessary resources (instruments, instruction, performance opportunities)
- Creating cultural relevance within classical training
- Building sequential program from elementary through high school
- Connecting musical learning to academic success
Case Study 10: Grow Dat Youth Farm Leadership Program
Program Overview
Grow Dat Youth Farm's Leadership Program employs diverse high school students from across New Orleans in growing food and developing as leaders. The program uses sustainable agriculture as a platform for personal growth, environmental education, and community food justice work.
The Need
New Orleans faces significant challenges with food access, youth employment, and environmental sustainability. Many neighborhoods qualify as food deserts, while young people have limited access to meaningful employment that builds transferable skills. Additionally, climate change threats make environmental leadership development increasingly important.
Program Approach
The Grow Dat Leadership Program features:
- Paid Employment: Youth earn wages while learning and working
- Sustainable Agriculture: Hands-on farming using ecological methods
- Food Justice Education: Learning about food systems and access disparities
- Cross-Cultural Collaboration: Intentionally diverse cohorts building relationships across difference
- Leadership Development: Graduated responsibility and decision-making roles
- Market Management: Youth operating farm stand and market booths
- Community Engagement: Food donations and community education
Distinctive Elements
Grow Dat stands out for its "shared leadership" model—rather than treating youth as simply program recipients, they progressively take on genuine responsibility for farm operations and decision-making. The program also intentionally recruits diverse participants from different schools, neighborhoods, and backgrounds, creating rare opportunities for meaningful cross-cultural collaboration in a historically segregated city.
Results & Impact
The Leadership Program has achieved significant outcomes:
- Agricultural Production: Youth grow 30,000+ pounds of food annually, with 30% donated to communities with limited food access
- Employment Outcomes: 95% of participants complete the program; alumni show higher rates of employment and earnings than peers
- Environmental Literacy: Participants demonstrate significant increases in ecological knowledge and sustainable practices
- Leadership Development: 90% of youth report improved communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration skills
- Cross-Cultural Understanding: Participants show measurable increases in comfort with diversity and cross-cultural communication
- Educational Impact: 85% of participants pursue higher education, with many choosing environmental or agricultural fields
According to Grow Dat's 2024 Impact Report: "Our commitment to youth leadership isn't just about helping young people develop skills—it's about transforming how decisions are made in our food system. By empowering youth from diverse backgrounds to grow food, manage farm operations, and address food justice issues, we're nurturing the next generation of environmental leaders who understand the connections between sustainable agriculture, social equity, and community health."
Key Success Factors
- Providing meaningful employment and real responsibility
- Connecting personal development with community impact
- Creating intentionally diverse community across social divides
- Addressing tangible community need (food access)
- Building career and educational pathways
Conclusion: Common Threads in Successful Youth Programming
Across these diverse case studies, several common elements emerge that contribute to program success:
Authentic Youth Voice & Leadership
The most successful programs move beyond token participation to give young people meaningful influence over program direction and implementation. When youth are treated as assets with valuable perspectives rather than simply recipients of services, they develop agency and ownership that translates to deeper engagement and stronger outcomes.
Comprehensive Support Systems
Programs that achieve transformative results typically address multiple dimensions of youth development rather than focusing narrowly on a single outcome. By providing wraparound support—addressing basic needs, mental health, academic success, and skill development simultaneously—these programs create the conditions for young people to thrive.
Cultural Relevance & Community Connection
Effective programs ground their work in the cultural contexts and community realities of the young people they serve. Rather than imposing external models, they build on community strengths and address systemic barriers while maintaining deep connections to neighborhood identities and traditions.
Long-Term Engagement
The most impactful programs create sustained relationships with young people over time, recognizing that meaningful development cannot be achieved through short-term interventions. Programs that maintain connections with participants through various transitions demonstrate the strongest long-term outcomes.
Pathways to Opportunity
Successful programs create clear connections between current activities and future possibilities, helping young people envision and access opportunities beyond the program itself. Whether through higher education, career exposure, or leadership trajectories, these pathways transform temporary participation into lasting impact.
Cross-Sector Partnerships
Programs that leverage partnerships across sectors—connecting with schools, businesses, government agencies, and other community organizations—create more robust support systems and opportunities for participants while building sustainability for the program itself.
These common elements suggest that effective youth development is both an art and a science—requiring thoughtful program design, authentic relationships, and responsive implementation that centers young people's needs, strengths, and aspirations. The success stories highlighted here demonstrate that despite significant challenges, transformative youth development is possible and happening throughout New Orleans.
This collection of case studies was developed through research of program documentation, annual reports, evaluation studies, and public statements from organizational leaders. It represents current conditions as of April 2025.
On this page
- Youth Program Case Studies
- Case Study 1: Liberty's Kitchen Youth Development Program
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 2: STEM NOLA Design Squad
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 3: Dancing Grounds Youth Company
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 4: Youth Rebuilding New Orleans (YRNO)
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 5: Rethink Youth Climate Justice Collective
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 6: Son of a Saint Mentoring Program
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 7: 826 New Orleans Writers' Room
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 8: Louisiana Center for Children's Rights (LCCR) Youth Advocates
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 9: Make Music NOLA
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Case Study 10: Grow Dat Youth Farm Leadership Program
- Program Overview
- The Need
- Program Approach
- Distinctive Elements
- Results & Impact
- Key Success Factors
- Conclusion: Common Threads in Successful Youth Programming
- Authentic Youth Voice & Leadership
- Comprehensive Support Systems
- Cultural Relevance & Community Connection
- Long-Term Engagement
- Pathways to Opportunity
- Cross-Sector Partnerships