YCS Peer Leadership

YCS Youth Connect is made up of interconnected programs where youth lead service learning projects after school and on their school campuses to address critical issues in our community. Peer Leaders, Advocates, and YCS Corps allow students to find service projects that best fit their interests.

Youth Connect elevates youth voice and promotes leadership and advocacy skills in youth. YCS provides Youth Connect students with resources and guidance in planning and carrying out various youth-led service projects.

Peer Leaders

Youth Connect Peer Leaders can choose from five different content tracks. In each track, Peer Leaders create their own service projects from the ground up based on the theme of their track. The tracks are Save: Suicide Prevention; Heart: Racial Equality; Sprout: Environmental Sustainability; Rise: Public Health; Hear the Queer: LGBTQ+ Advocacy. Weekly meetings allow Peer Leaders the time to build community, engage in leadership training, and create service projects and community events.

Advocates

The Youth Connect Advocates will have the flexibility to select from a range of engagement options. They will actively contribute by participating in monthly meetings with Peer Leaders and offering assistance to their projects through on-campus activities. Additionally, Advocates will have the opportunity to initiate and lead their own service projects, concentrating on enhancing the well-being of their school communities. Advocates will also participate in YCS Workshops facilitating information about suicide prevention, substance use prevention, and life skills.

YCS Corps

Youth who are interested in engaging with the community through a wide-ranging variety of existing service opportunities. Students in the YCS Corps provide support for one-time opportunities such as making sandbags to prevent potential flooding, community park clean-ups, or helping kids do crafts at an event. This option is ideal for students who want to be involved but can’t commit to weekly meetings.

All youth participants are eligible to earn YCS leadership awards! Youth Connect Peer Leaders are eligible for the YCS Service Leadership Award and Youth Connect Advocates and YCS Corps members are eligible for the YCS Community Leadership Award. Qualifying students may also apply for a scholarship. Read more about these offerings on our awards page.

If you are an adult interested in supporting this program, check out our Mentor page to learn more!

Email ycpeerleaders@youthcommunityservice.org with questions.

Peer Leader Spotlight

Nishi Goyal

Nishi (Gunn, ‘24) has been a part of the Peer Leadership program at YCS since 10th grade and will be in the SAVE track this year. This past summer, Nishi worked as a Youth Connect Intern, earning her the President Volunteer Service Award and the YCS Leadership Award.

“Before joining the program, I felt disconnected from my peers. Since joining YCS, I’ve met so many amazing people. I feel like the staff members really care about me, and I appreciate how well they connect with the youth. Every youth I’ve worked with is so unique, yet we’re all passionate about similar things, so it’s been great getting to know everyone. As part of being a Peer Leader, I hosted a Gunn Paly Gameday Event. I also participated in two internships this past summer, where I helped design Substance Abuse Awareness workshop presentations, hosted a Call to Action workshop, and advised on improvements for programs. Overall, YCS has become a community I deeply value and am proud to be a part of.”

History

The current version of Youth Connect brings together all YCS Peer Leader programs under one umbrella so youth have the opportunity to learn from one another, collaborate, and grow. Youth Connect today is built upon the many successes over the years by the student leaders in LEARN Commission (Leading Anti-Racism Now!), Umoja Health Peer Leaders, and Youth Connectedness Initiative (YCI).

Learn more about the history of YCS Peer Leader programs and see the many projects, videos, and awards earned through these pioneer programs.

YCS Peer Leadership

Peer Leader Spotlight

History

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