City Youth Development (City of Los Angeles)

The City of Los Angeles Youth Development Department (YDD) is committed to advancing evidence-based youth development, which includes mentorship, career readiness, and financial empowerment. LA YDD is partnering with researchers at the University of Southern California and J-PAL North America to evaluate a research-informed program: Student Engagement, Exploration, and Development in STEM (SEEDS) program. SEEDS is an intergenerational STEM mentorship program (professional mentors—college students—middle school students) that supports underrepresented middle school and college students in STEM by providing culturally responsive mentorship. The program seeks to foster these students’ STEM identity, academic persistence, degree attainment, and success in higher education.