Persistence of a youth organizing initiative: Cultivating and sustaining a leadership development ecosystem.

Youth organizing can generate tangible improvements in community conditions and institutions while simultaneously promoting positive development among participants and contributing to broader movements for social change. Yet, organizing initiatives must navigate an array of challenges as they seek to continuously engage new leaders to build on the accomplishments of their predecessors who are aging out of youth organizing. This study examines the leadership development ecosystem enabling an exemplary youth organizing initiative to persist, expand, and enhance its impact over 15 years.