Bringing the discipline of accreditation to youth learning.
Youth Learning Excellence Accreditation recognises programs that treat young learners with the same seriousness the best educators do: clear outcomes, thoughtful delivery, and evidence of real progress.
Our purpose
The market for youth programs has grown quickly: coding, robotics, AI, public speaking, leadership, entrepreneurship, camps. Families are asked to make important decisions about their children's learning, often with limited information.
YLEA exists to provide an independent, credible signal that a program has been designed intentionally and reviewed against a clear set of standards. It is not a regulator, and it does not replace formal schooling. It is a quality mark for the structured programs young people take part in outside and alongside school.
An initiative of CPD International Group
YLEA is delivered by CPD International Group, which specialises in quality frameworks for learning and professional development.
International in outlook
Applied consistently across countries and program formats, so accreditation carries the same meaning wherever a family finds it.
Independent review
Programs are assessed by experienced educators against six standards, with structured feedback at every step.
A note on language
YLEA uses the phrases structured learning hours and youth learning hours to describe the intentional teaching time young learners experience in an accredited program. We do not describe children's learning as “CPD hours”. That language belongs to professional development for adults.