“There is nothing more important than developing the skills and improving the employability of young adults in London. I am therefore delighted that we are supporting this outstanding volunteer programme.”
Boris Johnson at the launch of City year London, September 2010
Our History
City Year London was launched by the Mayor of London in September 2010 after a successful six month pilot programme in 5 primary schools in Islington, Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
City Year was founded in 1988 in the US, and since then it has:
- Graduated over 12,500 alumni – diverse young people between 17 and 24
- Served more than 1,120,000 children
- Completed more than 20 million hours of service
- Engaged more than 1,000,000 citizens in service
- Established 20 locations: 19 in the United States and one in South Africa
Timeline
| 1988 | City Year founded in the United States by Michael Brown and Alan Khazei |
| 1993 | AmeriCorps, the United States National Service Programme, is founded by President Clinton, who was inspired in part by City Year |
| 1994-2009 | In partnership with AmeriCorps, City Year grows to 20 United States locations |
| 2005 | City Year launches its first international affiliate: City Year South Africa |
| 2007 | UK leaders ask how they can bring City Year to the UK and begin a two year planning process |
| 2009 | United States President Barack Obama signs Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which calls for quadrupling AmeriCorps’ enrollment to 250,000 citizens each year |
| 2010 | City Year London launches |
