The Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD) is a voluntary and non-profit youth-led development organisation working directly with development partners across the world. Established as a post-conflict initiative, the organisation is staffed by a group of young proactive youths who are convinced that development does not lie in the hands of the elderly alone, about also in those of young people. It maintains the view that young people can be agents of positive change, and works for ways of enabling youth to step forward for social transformation in various communities and the world at large.

The overarching goal of YPPD is to contribute to the endeavors of supporting youth development, peaceful conflict resolution, stability, sustainable development, peace and democracy in Sierra Leone. It works to increase the capacity of vulnerable groups through training, partnership, advocacy, enhacing the youth knowledge base and equipping them with livelihood skills. It is a platform for diverse kinds of actions committed to engaging key stakeholders at different levels of development across the country.

The organisation's strategic programme areas include youth enterprise development, access to justice, gender empowerment through education and training geared towards increasing youth capacity and knowledge in enjoyment of their human rights, fundamental freedoms and participation in decision-making processes that affect their lives.

This has subsequently made the organisation one of the fastest growing youth organisations in Sierra Leone, with a growing international membership of more than 250 young people the world over through the web-based social network called "YPPD YOUTH NETWORK".

YPPD envisions a society wherein young people can maximize their potentials in development through enhancing their capabilities and enabling them to affirm control over their life circumstances.

Its mission is to advocate, inform, involve, inspire and celebrate social change led by and for youths through a multifaceted approach. It connects with organizations and individuals with a view to supporting young people, and build alliances between youth groups, developing and empowering the marginalized and vulnerable youth of Sierra Leone.

Its core values include participation, transparency and accountability, protection and promotion of human rights, gender equality, social justice, protection of the environment, partnership and collaboration.

Main objectives

YPPD's primary goal is to ensure that young people realize their full potential in transforming and improving the quality of their lives, in partnership with other stakeholders. It focuses on cooperative attention to promote youth participation and empowerment through policy advocacy, youth enterprise development and sustainable livelihoods of young and marginalised people, especially in the area of capacity building within Sierra Leoneon communties. YPPD also aims to educate, inform and inspire youth to take action on global issues that affect their lives including climate change; encourage youth participation in global issues; identify and build sustainable partnerships aimed at youth development; and provide young people with tools and resources for effective action.

it achieves its objectives through:

• Directing special consideration to young people and develop in them the potential to help create their own future.
• Promoting healthy and progressive working relationships with all children/ youth and community based organisations both nationally and internationally.
• Acting as motivators and facilitators of meaningful change in individuals, groups and national development in the bid to foster youth-led social change.
• Promoting the use of participatory tools in advocacy and community development.
• Promoting the shift in consciousness from fear and exclusion to unity, love, tolerance, hard work and peaceful coexistence for young people and the communities they are living in.
• Establishment of platforms to uphold the practice of socio-economic, political and social justice so as to bring about social harmony, solidarity and peace in the lives of young people.
• To create a movement of youth that will monitor and engage government for the enhancement of transparency and accountability.