La Familia services for youth are focused in three major areas. The first one is leadership development through community service. One of these services focuses on prevention of HIV and the tragic AIDS disease. High-risk behaviors endanger. For several years, we have attacked the HIV/AIDS epidemic by hiring teenagers to reach out and educate their peers at risk. This approach has been very effective and very well received by neighborhood teenagers who often find it difficult to speak openly about sexual matters with their families.

Young leaders address issues related to the pervasive problems of drugs, alcohol and tobacco use. The Youth Leadership Unit finds creative manners to rescue youth at risk from self-destructive patterns of behaviors. Known as Hijos del Sol, our youth are making history in Southern Alameda County, in other communities and in the nation. Hired as part time members of La Familia staff, the youth are rapidly gaining leadership skills that are generalized to their increasingly successful academic performance in school. To date, La Familia youth are attending Bay Area universities and colleges and are leading in solving youth related challenges.