Youth Enrichment Services (YES) Boston has spent nearly six decades providing thousands of Boston youth with access to outdoor sports that are often unavailable to kids from urban neighborhoods.

Its work to inspire and build confidence has changed the lives of many kids, for many generations. True to its mission, the organization aims to “inspire youth throughout outdoor experiences and leadership opportunities that build confidence and prepare them to summit life’s challenges.”

Founded in 1968 by the late Richard Williams, YES was initially called the Youth Activities Commission and began as an outdoor sports program focused on teaching kids to ski. Originally from Harlem, New York City, when Williams made his way to Boston in the 1950s he was inspired by the Winter Olympics and wanted to find a way to provide that exposure and opportunity to kids who looked like him. He also drew inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his message to dream of possibilities.

Starting with a few trips getting neighborhood kids up to local ski slopes, the program grew with the help of volunteers. By 1970, then called Operation Ski Lift, the organization served 500 youth from low-income families. In 1972, it incorporated as a nonprofit organization and from there it took off.

For several years Williams ran the organization alongside his wife, Mary.

When Williams died in 2002, Mary took over as executive director until September 2008, when the current executive director, Bryan Van Dorpe took over. Since its start YES has grown in size and opportunity. It now offers a wide range of sports throughout the year, including paddleboarding, kayaking, rock climbing and more.

With an extensive background in teaching and youth development, Van Dorpe explained that he was first interested in YES because of its sports-based youth development, having been a track and cross-country coach for a number of years.

Van Dorpe explained that since then, one of the most important things that YES has done is to explain the importance of providing these services to children, saying that it’s about more than just being a sports program.

“I believe that [what] we’ve really done is really homed in on the youth who really need YES, and really focus on the neighborhoods Dorchester, Roxbury. Mattapan and Jamaica Plain. Underserved neighborhoods with less programs are out there.” he said.

A 2021 study by the National Library of Medicine found that children from lower-income families get less time in physical activity, sample fewer sports and have lower rates of playing sports in general.

According to the report, “Only two-thirds of children from low-affluence families had ever tried an organized sport, compared to 89% from high-affluence families.”

Van Dorpe discussed the fact that one of the largest barriers for families trying to get their children into sports is financial, with winter sports being especially costly. To combat this, YES offers a sliding-fee scale and works with a number of partners to obtain donations to work with these families.

“A lot of people in the inner city don’t grow up [with] these winter sports. Many of them see it on the Olympics, on television, but … I think the feeling is, ‘Well, that looks like fun, but it’s not for me,” he said.

While ensuring that YES has the means to provide for these families that experience these barriers, Van Dorpe expressed the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion to the organization.

According to its website, 76% of YES youth are from BIPOC communities, with 43% being female.

The staff is 41% BIPOC and 50% female. Van Dorpe explained the importance of having a staff that represents the populations that they serve.

“We want kids to look at people that look like them, that come from the community,” he said.

YES also focuses heavily on college preparation, checking in on students as they grow, enter college and even throughout their first year of college to serve as a pillar of support.

When asked about the push to uphold DEI when so many businesses, and higher education institutions such as Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Northeastern and others are actively renaming or removing it, Van Dorpe said YES has survived many challenges throughout the years. He said that no matter what challenge it faces, the number one priority at YES is to be there for the family and support them.

While there are countless success stories, one that stands out is YES alumni Dylan Perez. He joined the organization at age 13 and became part of their Operation Snow Sports program.

Sticking with YES throughout his high school years, Perez eventually was able to give back to the program by becoming a snowboard instructor. His experience working with youth made a big impact. “I learned how to motivate them, engage them, have fun with them and entertain them. It helped with my leadership skills a lot,” he said.

YES is currently working on its big move, having purchased a new headquarters in Jamaica Plain. Van Dorpe said it has been a longterm project of his to move to a location where YES could reach more families.

Aiming to open in early 2026, the location will be much more accessible; the organization’s Massachusetts Avenue headquarters is on the market.

Van Dorpe explained the importance of YES to a city like Boston.

“YES is that opportunity for youth, and whether they grew up in Boston [and] have been here all their lives, or they’re brand-new immigrants to Boston, they are welcome here, and they are given these experiences that help them grow,” he said.