Success Factors Foundation (formerly No Gripes No Worries)

The Youth Fishing League (YFL), supported by the Success Factors Foundation, brings families together through inclusive fishing and environmental education programs — both outdoors and indoors. Our mission is to spark joy, build lifelong connections, and inspire stewardship through shared experiences in nature and community. YFL offers free rods, bait, and instruction at public parks and waterfronts across the DMV, with special care to include young children, special needs participants, and families new to fishing. Our events also feature indoor learning spaces — held at public visitor centers — where youth volunteers help document community stories, create educational content, and build digital skills through photography, videography, and conservation messaging. Every YFL event is rooted in values like patience, courage, kindness, and environmental responsibility. We believe a single day outdoors — or a moment of creative reflection — can spark a lifetime of learning, stewardship, and connection.

Volunteers with the Youth Fishing League (YFL) create engaging, hands-on learning experiences that promote environmental stewardship and family connections through fishing. They develop skills in outdoor education, communication, and conservation while guiding families at our events. Roles include event setup, teaching casting and baiting, supporting young children and participants with special needs, and leading environmental stewardship education stations like nature crafts and water testing. For those interested in media and storytelling, volunteers can support our Indoor Media Lab, capturing event photography, filming family interviews, creating social media content, and editing videos to help amplify participant voices. All indoor activities are conducted at public venues, such as visitor centers, ensuring compliance with MCPS SSL guidelines. All activities are supervised by trained adults. Students eligible to earn SSL hours can participate in roles in outdoor education, conservation programming, media production, or community outreach.