Opportunities for youth ages 14-24

Eligible ages: 15 to 24. The Youth Climate Action Fund provides microgrants of $1,000 to $5,000 to support youth-led climate projects in San Francisco. Youth teams can apply for funding to design and implement projects focused on climate priorities such as waste reduction, urban greening, climate justice, environmental education, community resilience, and more. Design workshops are available to help participants strengthen their project ideas, and support is available to connect applicants with a fiscal sponsor if needed. Applications are due by September 30, 2026.

View details about the Youth Climate Action Innovation Challenge

Eligible ages: 14 to 19. Apply for the Youth Seat on the Soda Tax Advisory Committee and help represent San Francisco youth in decisions about how soda tax funding supports community health and equity. The position is a two-year term with a time commitment of about five hours per month. Submit an application and answers to the Supplemental Questionnaire posted on the bottom of this page to BOS-Appointments@sfgov.org by October 2, 2026.

Eligible ages: 14 to 24. San Francisco youth and job seekers are invited to a career fair on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Stonestown Galleria. Attendees can meet employers, learn about job openings, get help with their resumes, practice job interviews, take professional headshots, receive free professional clothing, and learn how to use LinkedIn. Employers can meet local youth and job seekers, share current and upcoming job openings, and find new talent. Attendees should register in advance and select whether they are attending as an employer or as a youth or job seeker.

View details about Community Youth Center Youth Job Fair

Eligible ages: 11 to 18. First Exposures is a free photography mentoring program that helps Bay Area youth build photography skills, express themselves creatively, and connect with supportive mentors and peers. The fall program will focus on film photography, with participants learning to use 35mm cameras, compose and light photos, and develop images in a darkroom. Classes will take place Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from October 17 through December 12, 2026 at 265 Shotwell Street in San Francisco. Applications are due by October 5, 2026.

View details about the First Exposures Photography Mentoring Program

Eligible ages: 12 to 24. LYRIC's Community Drop-In Space provides a welcoming and affirming place for LGBTQQ+ youth ages 12–24 to build community, connect with peers, and access resources. Participants can learn about LGBTQQ+ identities and history, find support, and enjoy activities, workshops, and games in a safe and inclusive environment. The drop-in space is open Monday through Friday from 3–6 p.m. at 127 Collingwood Street, and a free hot meal is served every Wednesday.

For more information, contact the Program Coordinator at lux@lyric.org, or the Program Manager at jasmine@lyric.org

Eligible ages: 8 to 21. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that help young people grow and reach their potential. The program matches youth with trained adult mentors through a careful process that focuses on safety, commitment, and strong connections. Youth are referred by parents, guardians, teachers, and social workers, and the program serves families across all nine Bay Area counties. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

View details about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area Mentorship Program

Eligible ages: 16 to 18. Girls on the Run Bay Area is looking for Junior Coaches for its fall season. Junior Coaches assist adult head coaches twice a week for eight weeks, helping lead activities and encourage participants as they prepare for a celebratory 5K run with friends and family. The opportunity allows young people to build leadership skills, earn volunteer hours, and help San Francisco youth build confidence, discover their strengths, and reach their potential.

Email programs@gotrbayarea.org to sign up as a Junior Coach.

Eligible ages: 16 and up. Reel Stories’ College and Career Readiness Roundtables will give emerging filmmakers a chance to connect with filmmakers, festival programmers, broadcasters, and university representatives to learn about college and career pathways in the media industry. Participants can ask questions, get feedback on their work or plans, and make connections with people working in the field. The event will take place Monday, October 26, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at KQED in San Francisco.

View details about Reel Stories’ College and Career Readiness Roundtables

Eligible grades: 11 and 12. The Black and BIPOC Early Educator Pre-Apprenticeship Program helps train more Black and Pacific Islander teachers to work with young children in San Francisco. The Transitional Age Youth Pathway, which is for youth in grades 11 and 12, helps young adults earn an Assistant Teacher Permit. In this pathway, participants learn in a small group with others, earn college credits, and have their tuition paid for. They also receive tutoring and support from coaches and mentors. Participants can join affinity groups, build strong friendships, and connect to jobs at early childhood education centers in San Francisco. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

View details about the Black and BIPOC Early Educator Pre-Apprenticeship Program

Get zero-cost services from our job centers designed for youth and young adults who are between the ages 16 to 24.

View details about finding a job center for youth and young adults

Eligible ages: 17-24. New Door Ventures helps young people in San Francisco get on the path to good jobs and financial stability. In their six-month program, 15–20 youth join as a group of interns. They learn job skills, work together, and support each other during their internships. Applications are accepted all year.

View details about the New Door Ventures Employment Program

Eligible ages: 16 and 17. Online pre-registration to vote is available for California youth who are 16 or 17 years old. Young people can sign up so they are ready to vote when they turn 18. Pre-registration does not change the voting age, which is still 18: it simply allows teens to fill out the voter registration form early. To pre-register, a person must be a United States citizen, live in California, not be serving a state or federal prison sentence for a felony, and not be found mentally unable to vote by a court.

View details about pre-registering to vote

Eligible ages: 18 to 24. The Pharmacy Technician Program is a free, paid training program for young adults who want to work in a pharmacy. Beginning October 5, 2026, the six-month program includes pharmacy technician training, a 140-hour externship, help preparing for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam, career coaching, and job search support. Participants who complete the program will be ready to take the PTCB certification exam and apply for jobs as pharmacy technicians. The application period will close in late September 2026.

View details about the Pharmacy Technician Program

Eligible ages: 18 to 24. QWOCMAP's Film & Freedom Academy for Youth will take place November 6-9, 2026 in San Francisco. This free, intensive filmmaking workshop is designed for transitional-age youth ages 18-24, with selection based on factors including applicants’ lived experience, proximity to and commitment to LGBTQIA+ people of color, and other program criteria. Participants will write, direct, and edit their own short films with training, equipment, mentors, and crisis counselors provided throughout the program. Participants will receive a $500 stipend. Applications are due by September 30, 2026.

View details about the Film & Freedom Academy for Youth

Eligible ages: 18 to 24. LYRIC’s 2027 Youth Ambassador Internship is a nine-week paid career development program for LGBTQQIA+ youth and allies. Participants will build career readiness skills, work on projects related to their career goals, and complete a short-term internship or certification with a partner organization. The program runs from January 11, 2027 through March 12, 2027, for 10 hours per week, with interns earning $23.50 per hour. Applications are due December 1, 2026.

View details about LYRIC's Youth Ambassador Internship

Eligible ages: 18 to 24. The Adult Pathway of the Black and BIPOC Early Educator Pre-Apprenticeship Program supports young adults who want to become early childhood educators in San Francisco. This pathway helps participants earn an Assistant Teacher Permit. Students learn in a small group with others, earn college credits, and have their tuition paid for. They receive tutoring and support from coaches and mentors along the way. Participants can join affinity groups, build strong professional connections, and connect to jobs at early childhood education centers in San Francisco. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

View details about the Black and BIPOC Early Educator Pre-Apprenticeship Program

Eligible ages: 18-24. Are you in school, working, or somewhere in between? You may be eligible for cash, food, and health care benefit programs to make ends meet. Applications for benefits programs are always open.

View details about Public Benefits for Young Adults

Eligible ages: 18 to 26. The Booker T. Washington Community Service Center's Transitional Age Youth Program supports young adults as they build independence and figure out what’s next. Participants can get one-on-one support, help finding a job, and join workshops on money, mental health, parenting, and everyday life skills. There are also community events and peer support, with both drop-in and group sessions so people can connect, learn, and grow together.

View details about the Transitional Age Youth program

If you graduated from a San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) or SFUSD affiliated charter school in the Class of 2025, 2024, or 2023, then you have at least $50 in your K2C account, plus any contributions or incentives to continue your education after high school! There is no deadline to claim your money.

View details about claiming your Kindergarten to College money

Eligible ages: 18 to 24. LYRIC offers paid internships all year and invites young people to fill out a form if they are interested. The Youth Ambassadors program is for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual youth and allies, where participants build job skills, work on projects related to their goals, and help run LYRIC programs. The program takes place in set cohorts, with dates shared once they are confirmed. Interns work about 10 hours a week, Monday through Friday for two hours each day, and are paid an hourly wage. The internship location is shared only with those who are selected.

View details about LYRIC Youth Ambassadors

Eligible ages: 18 to 24. Mission Language & Vocational School offers a bilingual (English and Spanish) Hospitality Training Program for young adults who want to work in the hospitality industry. In this program, students get hands-on experience at Jim’s Restaurant in the Mission and earn industry certificates when they finish. The program is for San Francisco residents who are currently unemployed or underemployed and interested in hospitality careers. Participants must be able to attend about 10 hours a week for 8 weeks.

View details about the Mission Language and Vocational School's Hospitality Training Program

Eligible ages: 18 and up. Get trained and qualified for a DMV Class B Permit to begin a career in transportation with the CityDrive program. Services are offered at no cost, including free access to services and job referrals.

View details about applying to train for a career in transportation

Eligible ages: 18 and up. OEWD's Hospitality Initiative prepares you for a career in hospitality at no cost. Open to both beginners and experienced hospitality workers.

View details about applying to train for a career in hospitality

Eligible ages: 18 and up. CityBuild provides industry-recognized training for construction and construction administration to San Francisco residents.

View details about applying to train for a career in construction

Eligible ages: 18 and up. The SF Office of Economic and Workforce Development's TechSF program prepares you for a career in technology by offering training programs at no cost to participants.

View details about applying to train for a career in technology

Eligible ages: 18 and up. The SF Office of Economic and Workforce Development's HealthCare Academy prepares you for a career in healthcare at no cost. Open to both beginners and experienced healthcare workers.

View details about applying to train for a career in healthcare