Youth outcomes are the skills, knowledge areas, perceptions, and attitudes young people need to succeed. Young people require services, opportunities, and supports in order to achieve developmental outcomes. Core competencies include the knowledge areas, skills, and attitudes needed by youth workers in order to work effectively with young people. Conceptual tools required by organizations to link goals and outcomes are noted, along with needs of youth-centered communities. Opportunities and supports that promote youth development and core competencies from national youth-serving organizations are listed. Examples of guiding principles that reflect basic premises of youth development are cited, a youth-centered perspective on supportive communities is illustrated, and an overview of youth participation in programs and communities is presented. 1 figure