Eligible ages: 15 to 17. The Asian American Public Health Youth Leadership Academy (AAPHYLA) is a free leadership program for San Francisco youth. Participants will learn about public health, develop leadership skills, and meet community leaders. The program runs from July 8 to July 15, 2026, and participants can earn community service hours and may be eligible for a paid internship. Applications are due by June 22, 2026.

View details about the Asian American Public Health Youth Leadership Academy

Eligible grades: 9 and 10. Apply for a hybrid internship with the REACH Lab at Stanford School of Medicine. Participants will learn about preventing tobacco, cannabis, and other drug use while building public speaking, advocacy, and content creation skills. The program also includes community-building activities, leadership development, and opportunities to explore health-related careers. No prior experience is required, and participants receive a $200 stipend. The internship will begin on September 19, 2026. Applications are due by June 30, 2026.

View details about the REACH Lab internship

Eligible ages: 13 to 18. The District 11 Youth Council gives young people a chance to represent the voices of youth in their community and help shape decisions that affect District 11. Council members receive training in leadership, community engagement, advocacy, and local government while working together on projects that support young people. Members identify community needs, review proposed legislation, write resolutions, and share recommendations with City leaders. The council meets twice a month from September 2026 through June 2027 and provides a hands-on opportunity for youth to make a positive impact in their schools, neighborhoods, and communities. Applicants must live in or attend school in San Francisco's District 11. Applications are due by July 3, 2026.

View details about the District 11 Youth Council

Eligible grades: 9 to 12. The Youth Empowerment Fund is looking for high school-aged youth to serve as Community Funders. In this role, participants help decide which community projects receive funding by reviewing applications, joining interviews, and working with a team to select projects that support positive change. They also help lead workshops and share information so other youth can apply and succeed. This role builds leadership, teamwork, communication, and decision-making skills while giving youth a chance to be part of meaningful community work. Applications are due by early July 2026.

View details about the Community Funder position

Eligible ages: 14 to 20. The California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls Youth Advisory Council gives youth who identify as girls and women a chance to help shape policies that affect their lives. Council members work with state leaders, connect with youth from across California, and learn about advocacy, leadership, and the legislative process. Participants also receive mentorship and gain hands-on experience sharing ideas and recommendations to support young people throughout the state. Applications are due by July 15, 2026.

View more details about the Youth Advisory Council

Eligible ages: 14 to 17. Next Gen is a free afterschool program for San Francisco youth where students learn video production or animation, create original projects, build a portfolio, and work alongside teaching artists and peers in a supportive, creative environment. NextGen will take place between October and December 2026, and students who complete the program receive a $300 stipend. Interest forms will be accepted until early fall 2026.

View details about NextGen

Eligible ages: 12 to 24. Community Health Programs for Youth offers free, confidential mental health services. From trauma-informed care to short-term counseling and substance use support, their team meets youth where they are, in schools, clinics, and community spaces.

View details about Community Health Programs for Youth

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: 14 to 25. Calling all California youth! The Youth Empowerment Commission invites young Californians to apply for our Youth Empowerment Commissioner positions. This is your opportunity to develop your leadership skills, influence positive change, and help build a stronger, more vibrant community for all youth. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and youth can apply at any time.

View details about the Youth Empowerment Commission

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 due in late spring 2026.

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

Eligible grade: high school juniors. Destined for College is a free program from ScholarMatch that helps high school students who will be the first in their families to attend college. Students join the virtual program during their senior year and meet once a month with a college coach by phone, text, email, or video. Coaches help students explore college options, review financial aid offers, write personal statements, search for scholarships, fill out financial aid forms, and solve any problems with their college applications. Applications are due by September 18, 2026.

View details about ScholarMatch's Destined for College 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 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 due in late spring 2026.

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

Eligible ages: 18-28. The SF Recreation and Park Department's We LEAD Cohort is a paid leadership and career development program for young adults who have a high school diploma or GED and are interested in sports and working with youth. Participants will attend weekly workshops, be paired with a mentor, and gain hands-on experience at girls' and youth sports summer camps across San Francisco. They will learn job skills such as resume writing and interviewing, receive training in coaching and sports leadership, and earn a sports coaching certificate. Participants can work up to 65 hours at $26.27 per hour and will take part in special guest speaker events, field trips, a kickoff event, and a graduation celebration. Applications are due by June 24, 2026.

View details about the We LEAD Cohort

Eligible ages: 18 to 21. The American Indian Cultural District Young Leaders Council is a unique opportunity to strengthen your personal leadership development while creating meaningful impact within the American Indian Cultural District and for Native community members throughout Yelamu (San Francisco). Participants gain hands-on leadership experience, learn how to advance positive change for American Indians in San Francisco, and help shape the future of AICD through community engagement, advocacy, and leadership development. Applications are due by June 25, 2026.

View more details about the American Indian Cultural District Young Leaders Council

Eligible grades: recent high school graduates and current college students. The Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association Scholarship Fund was established in 2022 to honor the legacy of Quijuan Maloof. Administered by the Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association, a San Francisco nonprofit organization, the scholarship supports high school and college students who plan to pursue careers in public health or related fields. Scholarship awards of at least $1,000 are available to help students continue their education and work toward a degree in a health-related field. Applications are due by June 30, 2026.

View details about the Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association Scholarship 2026

Eligible ages: 18 to 25. Young adults are invited to apply for Literacy for Environmental Justice's internship program, offering hands-on experience in environmental work and community engagement. Interns earn $21 per hour and work 20–25 hours per week from August through December 2026. No experience is required. Participants will learn about native plant nurseries, habitat restoration, urban agriculture, climate change, and the importance of green spaces, while building leadership, communication, and job readiness skills. The program also includes professional development, community projects, kayaking, and other outdoor activities in Bayview. Applications are due in mid-summer 2026.

View details about the Literacy for Environmental Justice EcoApprentice 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