Careers
The California Youth Defender Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that defends youth rights by building and training a statewide defense coalition that challenges injustices, drives policy change, and champions community. For over 25 years, we have been driven by our vision that California sets the standard for youth justice, where statewide efforts ensure that every county has a holistic team ready to defend & rehabilitate each young person, every community has place-based alternatives to youth detention, and every child has an equitable chance to heal, grow, and thrive.
Apply today if you are eager to support CYDC’s exponential growth! Together we will deepen our impact, strengthen our foundation, and expand our reach across the state.
We need your help!
CYDC’s vision is that young people in California have access to excellent legal representation, receive fair and equitable treatment in the courts, and be provided with credible, trauma-informed, and community-supported alternatives to incarceration that foster success. We’ve made progress, but we need your help to turn our vision into reality.