Texas Youth Action Network

The Texas Youth Action Network (TYAN) promotes positive youth development and youth-adult partnerships.TYAN Logo  

Why Positive Youth Development?

Positive Youth Development (PYD):

  • Guides communities in how to organize services, opportunities, and supports;
  • Assists young people to reach their full potential through youth engagement; and
  • Emphasizes a shift in working with youth by viewing youth as assets and not problems to fix.

PYD helps youth become contributing adults. Youth learn economic self-sufficiency, healthy family and social relationships, and community involvement. PYD focuses on building positive attitudes, skills, and behaviors. This reduces risky behaviors (Outley, 2018).  

Why Youth-Adult Partnerships?

Trained caring adults support young people to impact communities in powerful, dynamic ways. Some of the ways are:

  • Adults can understand problems better. They can think about solutions from the viewpoint of the young people affected.
  • Young people benefit as well. Youth learn to be confident leaders. They develop the skills to tackle tough issues in their own lives and in the community.

Texas Youth Action Network

TYAN offers supports to help organizations build or expand Youth-Adult Partnerships (YAPs).

YAP goals are to:

  • Empower youth; and
  • Build programs and policies that are responsive to the needs of young people.

In the summer of 2022, TYAN officially launched Pods! What is a Pod, you may ask? A Pod is a collection of Community Partners, youth organizations, or individuals working together in a specific DSHS public health region. So far, TYAN has three Pod leaders and they're not stopping there! Through this new venture, TYAN will scale this project into smaller, regionally based forces. In doing so, youth development organizations in close geographic locations will have the chance to network with others, share their experiences, and participate in community-based activities.

The table below outlines the benefits of TYAN for any organization and for community partners.

Benefit For All For Community Partners
Learn about the benefits of PYD and YAPs X X
Organizational assessment of capacity for YAP X X
Resources and activities X X
Continuing education credits in youth development X X
See what YAPs across the nation are accomplishing X X
Grant support   X
Technical assistance   X
Expense-paid youth-adult workshops for planning and networking   X
Program evaluation   X

There are many ways to become involved with TYAN. Find the one that works best for you.

  • Join the email newsletter. TYAN sends regular updates on tips, strategies, and other interesting material on YAPs and PYD. To receive these ideas in your inbox, send a message.
  • Use the tools and resources you find on the site. 
    • The organizational YAP 101 and Start a YAP page provide comprehensive, structured support to creating and implementing YAPs in your community.
    • Browse through the resources to focus on topics most relevant to you.

Email tyan@ppri.tamu.edu and visit tyan.tamu.edu to find out more information.


External links are informational and do not have the Texas Department of State Health Services endorsement. These external links may not be accessible to individuals with disabilities. For more information about Maternal and Child Health or adolescent health in Texas, please email TitleV@dshs.texas.gov or call 512-776-7373.