Southwest Youth and Family Services was first founded as the Southwest Youth Service Bureau Policy Board in 1979, as part of a citywide program to provide neighborhood-based diversion services in West Seattle and White Center. We were incorporated on September 9, 1980.
As the program offerings changed, the community came to know us as the Bureau. Our mission became serving all low-income youth in the neighborhood. We developed a number of innovative youth-run employment programs. We remained primarily employment-based until 1985 when we expanded programs to provide education and individual and family counseling services.
Our Education Program was created in cooperation with the Interagency Transition School, and initially served Seattle Public School students. Our Education Center Program, designed to serve drop-out students, started in 1986.
SWYFS currently has a staff of approximately 75 partnering with youth and families to transform their futures. We are actively planning to continue expanding our services across the area in the months and years to come.
