USAID and IYF launched Youth:Work Mexico in 2010 to address youth challenges in Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana, some of Mexico’s most violent and crime-ridden communities.  Working with local civil society groups, the initiative will help create safe spaces for disadvantaged young people, strengthen and expand after school and summer programs, and prepare Mexican youth for viable futures through self- or salaried employment. The initiative will also leverage private sector resources and expertise, and increase community involvement. The youth will also be engaged in the conceptualization, design and implementation of the programs to help them stay in school and access the job market, while equipping them with the education and life skills necessary to become positive role models at work, at home, and in their communities.