Our Mission
Community Educational Services’ mission is to empower youth to transform their lives, schools and communities.
What We Believe
CES believes that youth want to lead responsible and useful lives. We believe that the image of the “lazy” teenager stems from the fact that our society does not give young people adequate opportunities to be meaningfully engaged, and that we do not do enough to help them grow into adult responsibilities and power.
Who We Are
CES is a non-profit agency that is the only organization dedicated solely to youth development in San Francisco’s Chinatown and North Beach neighborhoods. CES was created in 1969 by young activists to address the educational, employment and leadership needs of immigrant youth. Since its inception, CES has greatly expanded its services. CES annually serves over 2,100 low-income K-12 children and youth across San Francisco.
In Chinatown and at 12 elementary, middle, and high schools across the City, CES provides a range of services including: arts & cultural enrichment, career exploration, college guidance, counseling, employment, health and wellness, mentoring, and tutoring and homework assistance. CES partners with schools to increase respect and teamwork among students and teachers, involve students in school change, develop career academies, train teachers to utilize youth empowerment strategies, create collegial support for school principals, and coordinate the efforts of multiple agencies at school sites. In 2004, the Chinatown Beacon Center and Francisco Connections merged with CES to ensure a continuum of care for children and youth K-12. For recent developments, take a look at our latest newsletter.
What We Do: Youth Development Approach
CES works with youth ages 5-18 from low-income families, with most participants residing or attending school in the Chinatown and North Beach neighborhoods. CES recognizes barriers that youth in the community face and designs programs that empower young people of all backgrounds. CES works to build positive peer-to-peer and youth-to-adult relationships in order for youth to succeed and achieve their goals. For more information on CES’ youth development supports and opportunities, check out our Program Areas. Join us in our efforts to improve the lives of children, youth and families in San Francisco!
Click here to see the Board of Directors
Dear Reader:
Within the next 20 years, the Youth Development work of Community Educational Services – and hundreds of other organizations like us - will become the basis for maintaining America’s economic, political strength, and hopefully, moral strength.
CES’ work was once considered critical only to low-income populations. When CES was created in 1969, the U.S. was an economic, job-creating powerhouse. The issue that brought CES into being was that certain people – based on color, ethnicity, gender – were being denied access to this economic engine. Government and foundation funding was made available so that we could address these inequities. Of course, there were also loftier goals involved. With the support of our funders and donors, we sought to develop young people who would lead and participate in social change as well as building their skills for socio-economic advancement.
Things are different now.