About YESS

Since 2001, the YESS Institute has trained over 6,000 role models through programs, workshops, and professional development.

Our Mission

Building inclusive communities to support students on their road to success.

Our Vision

The YESS Institute envisions students becoming caring and productive members in their communities.

The YESS Organization

Supporting Communities with Passion

Our primary focus in all actions taken, policies made, and lessons planned is the welfare of the YESS students, because we envision all our students becoming caring and productive members in their communities.

Key Initiatives

  • Providing training and leadership to the Denver Youth Mentoring Collaborative
  • Co-Founding Mentor Colorado in partnership with statewide and national mentoring leaders
  • Developing curriculum for Bridging the Gap: Kids and Cops Forums by the Denver Office for the Independent Monitor

Collective Impact Efforts

  • The Corridors of College Success by the Ford Foundation in SW Denver
  • My Brother’s Keeper at The Denver Office for Children’s Affairs
  • Contributing our expertise on committees such as 9to25, The Denver Foundation, and Community First Foundation
  • Rocky Mountain PBS Documentary, Standing in the Gap: Race and Denver Schools
  • A Precious Child
International Partners
  • Canadian Women’s Foundation
  • International Mentoring Association
  • Regional School Counselors – Flanders, Belgium
National Partners
  • Washington DC National Mentoring Summit
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters – El Paso, TX
  • STARS National Conference
  • Radschools.org
Colorado Partners
  • A Precious Child
  • Adams 14 School District
  • Adams County Youth Initiative
  • Aurora Research Institute
  • Boys and Girls Club, Statewide Conference
  • CDHE Colorado Challenge
  • Center for Urban Education – Metropolitan State University of Denver
  • Civic Canopy Community Partnership System
  • CLACE
  • College Assistance Migrant Program – Metropolitan State University of Denver
  • Colorado Counseling Corps
  • Colorado Mentoring Symposium
  • Colorado Uplift
  • AmeriCorps, Denver Department of Human Services
  • Community Reach Center
  • Denver Office for Independent Monitor
  • Denver Police Department
  • Denver Public Schools
  • Denver Quality Afterschool Connection
  • Denver Scholarship Foundation
  • Denver Youth Mentoring Collaborative
  • Estrella TV
  • I Have a Dream Foundation – Boulder/Denver
  • Live Urban Real Estate
  • Mi Casa Resource Center
  • Mile High United Way
  • Mile High Youth Corps
  • OMNI
  • RAFT
  • Richard Male & Associates
  • Rocky Mountain PBS
  • University of Colorado at Denver
  • University of Denver
  • Westminster Public Schools

YESS Programs & Workshops

Youth Mentoring & Adult Development

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The YESS Difference

Making an Impact for more than 20 Years

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YESS Institute in the News

YESS Institute has been featured in national media including CBS, Fox, and PBS.

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