YouthServe began in 1998 as Birmingham Youth Service Corps, founded by Trent Ramsey and Lynn Bledsoe, two youth workers who had a desire to bring young people downtown to participate in community building and community service. They started by hosting a week-long day camp to bring a diverse group of youth together for community service projects, prejudice reduction workshops, workshops on empathy and compassion, and urban hikes around Birmingham.

The response from young people and parents was astounding; in 2001, the Birmingham Youth Service Corps became a year-round non-profit organization, hosting monthly and weekly service opportunities, Summer Urban Service Camps, and several workshops.

After a few years, the Birmingham Youth Service Corps connected with a youth service organization in Birmingham called First Look. First Look was a nonprofit founded by another youth, Will Clark, along with his friend Stratton Lloyd, focused on teaching a service-learning curriculum in Birmingham schools, community service, youth philanthropy, and leadership training.

In March 2004, these two nonprofits merged to become YouthServe, Inc., an organization committed to promoting youth volunteerism and leadership, and to giving young people the necessary tools to make positive impacts on their communities.

Since then, it has become the premier organization for diverse groups of youth to experience civic engagement together and express community leadership in the here and now.