Yunnan Youth Development Center

School-age youth make up a significant proportion of the large migrant population in Kunming, China. These young people often have few educational opportunities or positive social outlets. Yunnan Youth Development Center (YYDC) was founded in 2005 by four outdoor enthusiasts who wanted to provide young people with a space for growth and development outside the typically highly regimented atmosphere of most Chinese classrooms. YYDC programs emphasize experiential learning and the development of life and social skills.

With support from EMpower, YYDC is establishing a youth center in a sector of Kunming with a large migrant population; the center provides drop-in services (such as homework help, educational games, movie screenings) as well as more structured holiday and weekend camps in focusing on English language, arts, and other extracurricular activities.