Youth Center for North America (YCNA)
Vision – A united world where fraternity is lived among all people.
Mission – YCNA inspires and mobilizes young people from all backgrounds to live for a more united world.
What we do – We create and plan opportunities for young people to come together and build community through activities and programs that help develop the whole person. YCNA’s core value is respect for each person as expressed in the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you want them to do unto you; don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do unto you”.
Blessed Chiara Luce Badano was a young girl who lived her life bringing people together, spreading joy, and living the focolare spirituality. Once she learned about her terminal illness at the age of 19, she gave even more joy to others, brought even more people together around her bedside and accelerated in living a life of love.
YCNA is motivated by the life of Blessed Chiara Luce Badano to live out its mission. “I discovered the Gospel in a new light. I realized that I wasn’t an authentic Christian, because I didn’t live it all the way. Now I
want to make this magnificent book my only purpose in life.” (Nov. 29, 1983)
The YCNA Leadership Program equips young adults to discover and develop strong and lasting skills that will allow them to navigate through every day and sometimes challenging life situations.
Participants discover a greater self-awareness which builds confidence and paves the way for growth and success. Program elements provide space for identifying strengths, building relationships, while learning how to create goal-reaching processes and make sound decisions.
Young Adult Retreats are a chance to come together and build community. While we are from different backgrounds, cultures, and traditions, we come together to know, value, and learn from one another. Presentations, activities, and discussions allow for a greater understanding of unity and demonstrate how we can live it in our diversity, embracing our uniqueness, and creating meaningful connections.
Care 4 Creation! YCNA is actively present on the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. To act now, when it is “urgent and necessary” (LS 57), YCNA has created this plan to offer concrete actions, assistance and support so that we may continue to care for our home!
We don’t want finances to get in the way of a meaningful experience!
We are committed to do what we can so that financial constraints do not hinder young people from engaging in our enriching programs centered around spiritual and human development.