Advising
Deepen the impact of your organization on young lives with our Advising services, designed to improve the skills and approach of youth-serving professionals working with tweens, teens, and emerging adults. These consulting services and professional development offerings equip your team with practical, evidence-based coaching skills to support youth through behavior change, motivation-building, and emotional resilience.

Transformative Group Learning & Development for Youth Serving Organizations
As an organization trying to make a difference in the lives of youth, professional development and educational programs are essential for improving the effectiveness of your team. The Youth Coaching Institute is a global leader in providing training to youth coaches and other youth-serving professionals.
Our Advising services are a powerful tool for organizations committed to the positive development of young individuals, such as schools, higher education institutions, juvenile detention centers, churches, and community-serving organizations. We can provide your team with specialized training and workshop opportunities, equipping them with the opportunity to learn practical coaching skills that they can readily apply to their daily work.
We’ll help your team:
Develop or strengthen youth coaching certification programs
Address issues such as teenage attitude, poor motivation, and low engagement
Guide teens in building confidence, setting goals, and making healthy life decisions
Explore Our Advising Services
By empowering the adults who guide and support today’s youth, we aim to amplify the positive impact of the adolescents under your care, creating a ripple effect of growth, understanding, and empowerment within your community. Through our consulting, program development, and supervision services, we’ll provide your team with the insights and techniques needed to foster resilience, encourage academic success, and support healthy transitions into independent adulthood.
Advising Options
In-house Coach Training Program Development
Coaching Program Development
Coach Management, Supervision, & Quality Assurance

Professional Development Workshops
Live or Virtual Training
Enhance the expertise of staff in youth-focused organizations with our Professional Development Workshops, ranging from 1 to 3 hours, tailored for virtual or in-person delivery. These workshops offer evidence-based knowledge, practical tools, and strategies, along with skills practice and debriefing sessions on key topics like adolescent development, motivation, academic resilience, basic coaching skills, desistance coaching, and career discovery for emerging adults.
Have Questions? Schedule a Q&A With Us.
Whether you have some coaching experience under your belt, want to better serve youth in your profession, or are exploring a profitable and fulfilling career choice, we’re here to guide you on the best path forward. Fill out our contact form or schedule a live 20-minute Q&A to learn more.

What to Expect from Advising Services
Why Choose the Youth Coaching Institute?
Evidence-Based Approach
Our curriculum is grounded in research on adolescent development, motivation, and wellness coaching. We focus on adolescent interventions that enhance self-perceptions, engagement, and positive behaviors while reducing challenges.
Community of Social Change Agents
At YCI, we are dedicated youth advocates, educators, and life coaches focused on helping the next generation thrive. Having transformed from our adolescent struggles into thriving adults, we are committed to guiding the youth through their journeys into successful adults.
Flexible and Virtual Learning Environment
Our virtual coaching certifications accommodates even the busiest lifestyles and is designed for professionals across the globe, ensuring a seamless learning experience. We offer both live and self-paced courses.
International Coaching Federation Accreditation
Stand out in the field of youth coaching with our internationally recognized certifications. The ICF is one of the highest-regarded coaching certification organizations, known for its stringent education and rigorous credentialing.
Reach Out to Us to Learn More
Have questions or want to speak with a member of our team? Schedule a meeting or reach out to us directly, and we’ll be happy to assist you on your coaching journey.
EXCELLENT Based on 53 reviews Mary Bloser2025-07-12 I can't say enough about YCI. If you really want to learn how to coach, this is your program! It really breaks down the fundamentals and teaches you how to coach in a pure fashion. I'm not even done with the program and my confidence in my coaching has grown enormously. Also, I love how the program is so current and research-based around coaching techniques and adolescent science. The YCI staff are kind and very professional. Lynn Faitrouni2025-06-30 Highly recommended! This experience was genuinely life-changing, it helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect, both personally and professionally. I felt seen, supported, and deeply encouraged every step of the way. Jeannie Sorensen2025-05-29 I just finished the Coaching Adolescents course and absolutely loved it. The scope, depth and utility of the information is outstanding and I feel far more prepared to coach youth than I did before taking the course. Thank you for putting this together in such a thoughtful, fluid way and grounding each segment in research. I will be recommending this course every chance I get! Marija Durakovich2025-05-29 The Certified Youth Resilience Coaching program has exceeded my expectations and has definitely been worth the investment. Recalling Dr. Leah's words at the start of the program that ''this program will also change you in your personal life'' I can definitely attest to that. This was my first exposure to coaching and it has solidified my plans to start a private practice coaching youth (in Europe where I reside). The YCI is in terms of professionalism, organization, feedback, and practical experience top-notch (this is coming from a person who graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and is a fanatic when it comes to loyalty, organization, and experiential learning). Tyshonna Delaney2025-05-13 My experience with The Youth Coaching Institute has been nothing short of life-changing. The training was thoughtfully designed, truly aligned with the development of coaches, and provides resources and community for coaches. The instructors were not only experts in the field, but also incredibly supportive and engaging throughout the process. I successfully and confidently completed YCI feeling fully equipped to support youth in meaningful, strengths-based ways. The community of fellow trainees was also inspiring—diverse, passionate, and deeply committed to making a difference. Whether you're new to coaching or looking to specialize in youth development, YCI is a great organization to support your goals. I highly recommend it to anyone serious about empowering the next generation. Shyla Mathews2025-04-08 I have just completed CYWC with Dr Leah and Team! Highly recommend this training if you are looking at starting your coaching journey. The pacing of the programme is well planned with all the materials prepared well and very informative. Learnt so much and Dr Leah is very responsive to all my questions. Анна Крбашян2025-03-09 I recently completed the coaching certification course, and I couldn’t be happier with my experience! Dr. Leah is an amazing instructor—professional, supportive, and incredibly knowledgeable. From the very first session, I could tell I was in good hands. The course was engaging, and I loved every minute of it, even though I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. The material was well-structured, and Dr. Leah’s teaching style made it easy to understand even complex concepts. I also appreciated the supportive learning environment, where all my questions were answered thoughtfully and thoroughly. I’m so glad I found this course and feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from Dr. Leah. I’m excited to start my coaching journey and would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to become a certified coach! Valerie Shaw-Gavel2025-01-23 I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from my experience with YCI. It took one class and I was completely invested. Dr. Leah is knowledgeable (due to academia and life experiences) and has a tremendous passion for coaching that trickles down through her students. I learned more about myself throughout this course than I did in 4 years of college. The way the classes are taught, through peer conversations, video coaching sessions, reflections and coaching practice the takeaways come very easy. She works hard to meet people where they are directly and kindly. I will continue my connection with YCI and Dr. Leah in the future because I truly feel I am part of a "coaching family" now. Darrin Olmscheid2024-11-28 Dr. Mazzola and team were wonderful. Approachable, communicative and provided instruction that was research based yet provided practical strategies and resources one could use the very next day! Grateful for this experience Mehroo Turel2024-10-09 Thank you, Dr. Leah B. Mazzola for creating this exceptional program. Your shared experiences, deep insight and understanding of young minds, backed by research and tools, made this program easy to learn and highly practical to use. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this field.
Youth Coaching Expert Insights
Discover a library of free expert resources exploring the youth coaching landscape, the experiences of adolescents today, and opportunities to strengthen your approach.
Elevate Your Impact and Start Coaching Today
Make a positive and measurable impact with the Youth Coaching Institute. Develop your coaching skillset and begin the journey to becoming a certified youth life coach today.