The definition of youth development presented here pulls together the twin themes of competencies and basic needs to suggest that youth development be firmly attached to young people, not to the institutions that serve them; and that youth development be seen as an ongoing, inevitable process in which youth seek to meet their physical and social needs and to build individual assets and competencies. Family, peers, school, community groups, religious organizations, and places of employment are all important determinants of youth development. The research found that participation in nonschool programs that promote positive youth development is valued by youths and their families, and that these programs have a significant impact on some, if not all, of the competencies and needs that define youth development. This evidence, as well as its theoretical underpinnings, make the case for strengthening and better defining the role of community programs in youth development. 8 tables, 4 figures, 1 appendix, and 142 references