Proud to Serve Santa Barbara’s Youth

We empower our program participants by offering opportunities for personal development, academic achievement, community service, and leadership skills training.

One of the things that differentiates SBPAL from other youth-focused programs is that we welcome all local youth. Many of our programs and services are not limited by specific criteria or eligibility requirements.

An overview of our programs can be found below. Click the buttons to learn more about each unique offering!

Our Core Youth Programs

Five teenage girls in blue shirts stand around a brick sign that reads "Twelve 35 Teen Center," with a brick building and green trees in the background. They are smiling and posing cheerfully.

Twelve35 Teen Center

Twelve35 Teen Center is the only free, drop-in, co-ed teen center in the area. Its amenities include: a computer lab; academic assistance and tutoring services; a lounge room with console games, Disney+ and a pool table; an outdoor recreation area with athletic and workout equipment; and a multi purpose room for meetings and community service projects.

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Group of police officers in a large indoor training or classroom space, sitting or standing and facing a presentation or demonstration area. The room has large windows, high ceilings with hanging lights, and various gym equipment in the background. Some officers are wearing black shirts with a logo, while others are in police uniforms.

Police Recruit Experience

This week-long program allows participants ages 13-17 to step into the shoes of a police recruit! From intense physical fitness training to exhilarating obstacle courses and tactical drills designed to develop strength, endurance, and teamwork; this action-packed camp introduces participants to the rigorous training that police recruits undergo at the academy.

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Group of nine people in wetsuits on a bodyboard and surfboards in the water, smiling and posing for a photo with hills and a clear blue sky in the background.

Campership Alliance

Campership Alliance is a community-based collaboration dedicated to providing scholarship opportunities for children and young adults from low-income families in Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria. As the lead agency, SBPAL works closely with community partners to allocate and distribute camp scholarships each year.

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Four young people standing in front of the Washington Monument at night, smiling with a cloudy sky behind them.

Youth Leadership Council

The Youth Leadership Council is composed high school students from all around the Santa Barbara and Goleta area, and is an excellent opportunity for students who possess the abilities to work within a group structure to explore, discuss, brainstorm and implement ideas that will have a positive impact on their community.

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Group of six women on a beach, participating in a cleanup event. They are holding tools and standing behind black trash buckets. The women are dressed in casual clothing, with some in matching navy shirts, and the background shows an overcast sky and distant pier.

Volunteer with Community PAL

Three people sitting at a table, signing documents, with a window and decorative reindeer in the background.

Parent Resources