Mountain Youth was founded in 2001 as the Eagle River Youth Coalition. It was designed as a collaborative vision of Leadership Vail Valley, the Eagle CARES Survey team and Eagle County to provide cohesion among youth service providers. Mountain Youth was tasked with building Positive Youth Development (PYD), a strengths-based approach to adolescence, throughout the Eagle River Valley. 

 

Mountain Youth was charged with overseeing data assessment to ensure the community had an honest measure of youth behaviors and perceptions and a way to analyze effectiveness and gaps in youth services. These outcomes continue to drive Mountain Youth in collaborative planning of youth services. We work with many service providers, so the community can effectively assess and meet the changing needs of youth, ultimately mobilizing the community for positive change. 

 

Mountain Youth has a wide reach but with a vision, a mission and core values rooted in making youth a community priority, Mountain Youth rallies support to enable youth to reach their full potential. We listen to the needs of the community and respond with programs that educate, enhance and encourage strong relationships and positive decision making. Continuing to use the PYD framework, Mountain Youth provides substance use prevention, safe driving education, youth advocacy and parent education throughout the Eagle River Valley. 

 

Mountain Youth’s work ensures Eagle County youth remain a priority; striving to be a community where young people are equipped with skills that support healthy bodies, healthy minds and improved decision making and leadership skills to guide their lives. We are a nimble organization focused on creating a better Eagle County for all — giving youth a voice in our community.