It all began in 1978 when Prince Charles of Wales initiated Operation Drake, a two-year youth expedition around the world. Operation Drake engaged 200 international young people in a three-month program focused on science, community service, and adventure in remote parts of the world. Due to the fantastic results of Operation Drake, organizers wanted to create a similar program. Operation Raleigh was launched in 1984, involving 4000 participants. After the program ended in 1988, Canadian and Australian participants of Operations Raleigh were eager to see a permanent organization. This organization came into existence in 1989, Youth Challenge International.

In 1990, YCI’s first project was a historical one. YCI partnered with the Adventure Club of the Soviet Union to send 30 young Russians and Canadians to conduct scientific research and provide community service to those living the Arctic region of both countries. Later in the same year, YCI launched its first program in Guyana; this eventually led to the creation of Youth Challenge Guyana. The following year YCI launch a similar program in Costa Rica. In the early 1990s, a few young Costa Rican youth decided to form Youth Challenge Costa Rica, better known as Reto Junveil Internancional. Around the same time, half way across the world, past Australian volunteers of Operation Raleigh formed Youth Challenge Australia.

Throughout the 1990s, YCI strengthened its programs in Guyana and Costa and continued to supports its local partners in those countries, RJI and YCG. It was in 1997 when the Youth Challenge organizations in Australia, Costa Rica, Guyana, and Canada united to form the Youth Alliance Council; this allowed for further partnership. Both Youth Challenge Guyana and Reto Junvenil Internancional became fully autonomous in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The 2000s has already been proven to be a great decade for YCI. In 2001, YCI and its partners launched a new program in Vanuatu, a small island state in the Pacific. In 2004, YCI and its partners initiated a program in another South American country, Grenada. The following year YCI partnered with YMCA Canada, Oxfam Quebec, and Club 2/3 to launch a one-year program in Ghana and Benin. 2004 was also the year that YCI partnered with African grassroots organizations to launch projects in Ethiopia and Tanzania. In 2006, YCI was selected to manage Butterfly 208, which eventually led YCI to conduct programs with its local partners in Kenya.

For almost two decades, YCI has successfully engaged young people, both from abroad and at home. It has sent over 2,500 volunteers overseas and has partnered in over 12 countries.

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