Youth ERA
Youth Era is an Oregon-based nonprofit that provides youth peer support, mental health training, and crisis response services to young people ages 12-25 through six drop-in centers, OHA-approved certification programs, and Oxford-co-developed virtual training.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersEugene, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Youth ERA does
Youth Era is an Oregon-based nonprofit founded in 2009 that delivers youth peer support, mental health training, and crisis response services to young people ages 12-25. Its core offerings are six physical drop-in centers across Oregon (Eugene, Clackamas/Milwaukie, Coos/North Bend, Medford, Salem, Columbia County/St Helens), a Wraparound services program in which it claims the country's largest team of Wraparound Youth Partners, a trauma-informed crisis response team with the most extensive school-violence response track record among youth-serving organizations globally, and a portfolio of training programs including the OHA-approved PeerPlus 40-hour certification, the Impact Makers foundational training (required for incoming WYSS as of August 2025), and sliding-scale workshops offering continuing education credits.
The organization's underlying technology stack centers on Uplift, a virtual mental-health training program co-developed with the University of Oxford, delivered alongside Zoom-based virtual training infrastructure. Its core IP is methodological rather than software: the "Drop Model," which fuses the Headspace Model with Positive Youth Development to create safe, youth-led spaces, combined with Wraparound philosophy that places the young adult's voice at the center of the support plan. Oxford researcher Dr. Gabriella Pavarini publicly reported unprecedented results from the Uplift virtual training, providing third-party academic validation.
Youth Era's business model is nonprofit and access-first. Direct youth services (drop-in centers, wraparound, crisis response) are provided free of charge to eligible youth aged 14-25. Training revenue comes from PeerPlus at $750 at-cost per seat with Oregon Health Authority-sponsored free seats available to qualifying residents, and workshops on a sliding scale ($50/$30/$15). The organization is funded primarily through donations, grants, and county/OHA partnerships (e.g., Jackson County Mental Health, Kairos), and is founder-led by CEO Martin Rafferty. There is no disclosed revenue, funding history, or institutional investment.
Youth ERA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Youth ERA
- Legal name
- Youth Era
- Website
- https://youthera.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Youth Era is an Oregon-based nonprofit that provides youth peer support, mental health training, and crisis response services to young people ages 12-25 through six drop-in centers, OHA-approved certification programs, and Oxford-co-developed virtual training.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Youth ERA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Peer Support Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)
Keywords
Where Youth ERA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eugene
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Youth ERA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Youth Era operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations and grants. The website includes a donate page and the organization creates solutions for communities that look toward sustainable support rather than short-term assistance.
- Training Program Fees: Training programs such as PeerPlus are offered at-cost ($750) with OHA-sponsored seats available free for qualifying Oregon residents. Workshops use sliding scale pricing ($50, $30, $15) to increase access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Wraparound services - Free for eligible youth |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | PeerPlus 40-hour Training - $750 at-cost |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Workshops - Sliding scale pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Youth ERA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Youth Era delivers community-based youth peer support services free of charge to youth and young adults ages 12-25, including drop-in centers, Wraparound care coordination, crisis response for school violence and trauma, and certification training programs (PeerPlus and Impact Makers) for aspiring Youth Support Specialists. The organization also operates Uplift, a virtual mental-health training platform co-developed with the University of Oxford.
Product overview
Youth ERA is a non-profit organization providing a portfolio of youth peer support services across Oregon. The core offerings include drop-in centers (safe spaces for youth ages 12-25), the PeerPlus 40-hour certification training for Youth Support Specialists, Impact Makers training for Wraparound Youth Partners, Wraparound services (a family-driven care philosophy), and crisis response teams. These programs work together to empower young people through peer support, leadership development, and systemic advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PeerPlus: A 40-hour Oregon Health Authority (OHA) approved training for Peer Support Specialists specifically tailored to youth and young adult peer support providers.
- Impact Makers
- The Drop Model
Products and services
- Drop-In Centers Safe, welcoming spaces where youth ages 12-25 receive peer support, gain leadership skills, and access community resources. Operated across six Oregon locations including Clackamas, Coos, Eugene, Medford, Salem, and Columbia County. Inspired by the Headspace Model and enhanced through Positive Youth Development.
- PeerPlus Training A 40-hour Oregon Health Authority (OHA) approved training for Youth and Young Adult Peer Support Specialists (YSS) leading to state certification as Peer Support Specialists (PSS). Full cost is $750 at-cost with OHA-sponsored seats available free for qualifying Oregon residents with lived experience pursuing YSS certification.
- Impact Makers Training Foundational training for Wraparound Youth Support Specialists covering the principles, phases, and components of the Wraparound process. Required for incoming WYSS as of August 2025.
- Wraparound Services A philosophy of care building support networks for youth and families, ensuring the young adult's voice drives their support plan. Youth Era maintains the largest team of Wraparound Youth Partners in the country. Services are provided free of charge for eligible youth ages 14-25 enrolled in OHP and Washington County Wraparound.
- Crisis Response Trauma-informed and stigma-aware crisis support for communities recovering from school violence, suicide, or other trauma. The organization has responded to more instances of school violence than any other youth-serving organization in the world.
- Coaching Services Peer support coaching for Youth Support Specialists and Wraparound Youth Partners using a transformational coaching approach to promote well-being, increase confidence, and provide tailored support.
- Workshops Bite-sized interactive training sessions (1.5 hours each) offering continuing education credits for Traditional Health Workers. Includes workshops on community connections, engagement strategies, and Wraparound collaboration. Sliding scale pricing at $50/$30/$15 with OHA-sponsored option for certified YSS in Oregon.
- Uplift Virtual Mental Health Training A virtual mental-health training for youth developed in partnership with the University of Oxford. Oxford researcher Dr. Gabriella Pavarini noted unprecedented results from the virtual training program.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of youth impacted annually through drop-in centers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Youth ERA
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Youth ERA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Youth ERA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- University of OxfordcoreYouth Era partnered with the University of Oxford to create and launch Uplift, a virtual mental-health training for youth. Oxford University researcher Dr. Gabriola Pavarini noted unprecedented results from the virtual training program.
- KairoscoreKairos provides support for the Medford Drop-in center, collaborating with Youth Era to provide services to youth in the Medford area.
- Jackson County Mental HealthcoreJackson County Mental Health supports the Medford Drop-in center, partnering with Youth Era to provide mental health services and peer support to local youth.
- Oregon Health Authority (OHA)coreOHA approves Youth Era's PeerPlus training as a 40-hour Traditional Health Worker certification training. OHA also sponsors seats for qualifying Oregon residents with lived experience pursuing YSS certification.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Youth ERA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Youth Villages: National nonprofit delivering intensive in-home services, residential programs, and crisis response for at-risk children and families. Directly comparable as a national peer in youth wraparound, behavioral health, and crisis intervention.
- The Trevor Project: National nonprofit providing crisis intervention and mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth, including digital training and peer support programs. Comparable as a national youth mental health nonprofit leveraging virtual channels for crisis response and training.
Regional players
- Morrison Child & Family Services: Oregon-based nonprofit providing mental health, substance use, and child welfare services for children, adolescents, and families. Comparable as a regional Oregon child/youth behavioral health and wraparound services organization.
- Janus Youth Programs: Portland-based nonprofit serving at-risk youth through shelters, housing, and community programs across Oregon. Comparable as a regional Oregon nonprofit addressing youth homelessness, crisis, and wraparound support.
- Lines for Life (YouthLine): Oregon-based nonprofit providing crisis lines, peer support training, and youth-led helpline services (YouthLine). Comparable as a regional Oregon peer support and youth crisis response organization with virtual and youth-led training programs.
- Trillium Family Services: Oregon-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, residential, and community-based services for children and youth, including wraparound and crisis programs. Directly comparable as a regional Oregon youth mental health and wraparound services provider.
Broad incumbents
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): National mental health nonprofit offering peer-led support groups, education programs, and advocacy, with affiliate-led state and local chapters. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering peer support training and community-based mental health programs.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development organization operating club-based safe spaces offering mentoring, education, and mental wellness programming. Comparable as an incumbent operating physical drop-in-equivalent spaces for youth with broader programmatic scope.
- Boys Town: Large national nonprofit providing youth crisis response, behavioral health, residential care, and parenting programs. Comparable as an established incumbent in the youth services and crisis response space with broader scope.
Others
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit pairing youth with adult mentors across community-based programs. Comparable as a national youth development nonprofit using a community-led model, though focused on mentoring rather than mental health.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Youth ERA social profiles
Digital presenceYouth ERA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Youth ERA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Youth ERA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Youth ERA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Youth ERA
What does Youth ERA do?
Youth Era delivers community-based youth peer support services free of charge to youth and young adults ages 12-25, including drop-in centers, Wraparound care coordination, crisis response for school violence and trauma, and certification training programs (PeerPlus and Impact Makers) for aspiring Youth Support Specialists. The organization also operates Uplift, a virtual mental-health training platform co-developed with the University of Oxford.
Is Youth ERA a public or private company?
Youth ERA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Youth ERA founded?
Youth ERA was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Youth ERA based?
Youth ERA is headquartered in Eugene, United States, in the North America region.
How does Youth ERA make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are training Program Fees.
Who are Youth ERA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Youth Villages and The Trevor Project. Regional players are Morrison Child & Family Services, Janus Youth Programs, Lines for Life (YouthLine) and Trillium Family Services. Broad incumbents are National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Boys Town. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is listed as an others.
Does Youth ERA have an API?
No public API is recorded for Youth ERA.
What industry is Youth ERA in?
Youth ERA's product category is Youth Peer Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAK, Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits, with a secondary code of BPAGADAO, Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.