Rooted in Community, Shaped by Experience

At YTL training, students receive so much more than an ordinary education. We pride ourselves on creating a unique, exciting environment that embraces all types of learners and promotes both academic and personal growth. Students and families are also welcomed into a dynamic and supportive community.

Mission Statement

YTL creates bridges for Asheville area youth and their families to overcome gaps in disparity through advocacy, educational programming, social and emotional support, and enrichment opportunities. We seek to understand the evolving needs of the community we serve, earn their trust, and offer tools to support their self regulation, self advocacy, and academic success.

Vision Statement

Our ultimate goal is to cultivate a contagious community of compassion in which all human beings are guaranteed access to proper education, health services, safety, and economic stability.

YTL's mission is to bridge disparities for Asheville youth and families through advocacy, education, support, and enrichment. It aims to understand community needs, build trust, and empower individuals with self-regulation, advocacy, and academic ills. The vision is to foster a compassionate community ensuring access to education, health, safety, and economic stability for all.

Values

Equity | Education | Empowerment | Service | Mindfulness | Safety | Integrity | Communication | Love | Community

Our program is grounded in a commitment to equity, providing every individual with the support they need to thrive through quality education and intentional empowerment. We serve our community with compassion and purpose, guided by principles of service, mindfulness, and safety. With integrity at the core of all we do, we prioritize transparent communication, cultivate a culture of love, and foster a strong sense of community where everyone feels valued and heard.

Principles

We know unjust systems continue to disproportionately inflict trauma upon specific communities: people of color, low-income earners, those who identify as anything other than “straight,” those without a home, and those who have paid their debt to society by completing their term in incarceration.
We know all humans are entitled to equal access to high-quality education and comprehensive health services.
We know every parent and child should be made aware of the rights lawfully granted to students and their guardians. Parents and children should be protected from the infringement and/or revocation of these rights by any and all other entities.
We know all communities are invaluable contributors to humanity as a whole. To omit or disregard any culture’s history or presence from any discourse results in an incomplete and false record. A lack of factual knowledge cultivates fear and hatred resulting in further ineffectual and harmful policies. An educated public is a compassionate public, and a compassionate society strives to guarantee the success of all people.
We believe the necessary strength, ability, and desire to pursue a greater purpose are inherent in all human beings. We will not attempt to make people better, as we do not believe in insufficient human beings. Instead, we see a flawed set of systems. We will work to ensure those systems offer equitable means to prosperity for all people.