Frank Alvarez, Director of Partnership Development at YouthBuild Charter School of California; Dee Goins, Chairperson at the YouthBuild Collaborative of Southern California, and Benedito (Benny) Orduño, Co-Executive Director at Rising Stars Business Academy and Moreno Valley YouthBuild have completed the 2024–2026 YouthBuild Leadership Fellowship, a two-year international leadership initiative developed and hosted by YouthBuild Global, the headquarters for the YouthBuild movement. The initiative brings together leaders from YouthBuild programs across the United States and around the world to cultivate their leadership skills, strengthen the YouthBuild network, and create sustainable positive impact for opportunity youth.

Frank, Dee, and Benny were selected in 2024 for this first-ever global cohort of dedicated international leaders from across the YouthBuild movement for their commitment to personal growth, the future of the YouthBuild network, and opportunity youth — young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed. They embody the principles of service and transformation at the heart of YouthBuild’s mission.

As a YouthBuild graduate himself, Frank Alvarez has brought a wealth of lived experience to his role as YouthBuild Charter School of California’s Director of Partnership Development, leading statewide expansion efforts, building strategic partnerships, and helping communities launch YouthBuild programs that center access to career pathways, education, and opportunity for young people. Dee Goins, in addition to being Chairperson of the YouthBuild Collaborative of Southern California, is also the Executive Director of CORE – A Community Collaboration, one of YouthBuild Charter School of California’s 18 program partners, based out of Pomona. In his role as Co-Executive Director of Rising Stars Business Academy and Moreno Valley YouthBuild, another one of YouthBuild Charter School of California’s 18 program partners, Benny Orduño led a five-year strategic plan, secured nearly $3 million in grant funding, launched a Youth Policy Council focused on civic engagement, and helped more than 600 young adults earn their high school diploma. In addition to his work with YouthBuild, Benny also serves as Associate Faculty at Moreno Valley College, teaching Human Services.

There are currently 340 local YouthBuild programs around the world that partner with opportunity youth as they build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood and leadership. In YouthBuild programs, young people who are out of school and out of work reclaim their education, gain job skills and credentials, and become leaders in their communities. Responding to the urgent need for knowledge, training and opportunity, YouthBuild primarily serves young people who lack a high school diploma and financial resources. As headquarters for the YouthBuild movement, YouthBuild Global unifies and partners with this expansive network, championing opportunity youth as they achieve their ambitions and reach their full potential.

“Participating in the YouthBuild Global Leadership Fellowship has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my leadership journey,” said Dee Goins. “Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with inspiring leaders from across the country and around the world who are deeply committed to empowering opportunity youth. This experience strengthened my leadership skills, expanded my vision for sustainable community impact, and reaffirmed my passion for creating pathways for young people to succeed.”

“This experience helped me reflect more deeply on how my own lived experience connects to the work we do across the YouthBuild movement,” said Frank Alvarez. “It reinforced my belief that opportunity youth carry the resilience, insight, and leadership needed to help transform their communities.”

The two-year fellowship is designed to support the leadership of local YouthBuild program directors globally, providing opportunities to strengthen their leadership and organizational development skills, build community and work together to strengthen YouthBuild’s collective efforts in support of opportunity youth. It offers an immersive learning experience with three key components: Leadership and Professional Development; Self-Care; and Peer Support and Community Building. Fellows work together on practices to inform the entire network about positive youth development and program sustainability, influencing the future of policies and practices at all YouthBuild programs. This framework is grounded in YouthBuild’s core values of love, accountability, community, collaboration and leadership.

The YouthBuild Leadership Fellows includes at least four in-person gatherings and multiple virtual sessions across two years, guided by a blend of peer insights, YouthBuild Global staff and external experts.

“Our Leadership Fellows embody the values at the heart of YouthBuild—leadership, service and belief in the immense potential of young people,” said John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild Global. “Over the past two years, these leaders have invested deeply in their own growth and one another. Their leadership will have a lasting impact on the YouthBuild network and the young people they serve every single day.”