August 19, 2025
“The Youth Advocate Program has modified my life. I’ve by no means discovered extra in a shorter time frame. I made a few of my greatest associates, and I grew to become a lot stronger in my advocacy expertise. I make use of what I discovered daily in my work and faculty life. I’m so extremely grateful!”
– 2025 Youth Advocate
Are you able to give a quick overview of the Youth Advocate Program and the way it works?
The YMCA is dedicated to nurturing the potential of each youngster and teenage and champions youth voice by equipping younger leaders with the abilities and experiences to drive change of their communities and past. The Youth Advocate Program is a four-month civic engagement and advocacy coaching program that culminates in a visit to Washington, D.C. to share members’ Y story with Members of Congress. All through this system, college students attend trainings to study concerning the historical past and mission of the Y, the Y’s legislative priorities, what efficient advocacy seems to be like, and methods to illustrate the affect of the Y by telling their Y story. Individuals join with friends from throughout the nation and construct helpful expertise that not solely enhance their advocacy however construct their confidence to be a frontrunner of their neighborhood after they return residence.
How are youth chosen or recruited?
Now in its 12th 12 months, the Youth Advocate Program has turn into a aggressive program amongst Y teenagers. Y-connected youth all have essential views and concepts on strengthening their communities, so we promote broadly amongst teen packages of all types. Functions are evaluated by a number of departments throughout Y-USA to make our alternatives.
What sort of coaching and alternatives for advocacy does this system present?
Our trainings train many advocacy ways, particularly the significance of constructing relationships. This system prepares college students to have interaction in training and difficulty consciousness, in addition to connecting their private Y story to a coverage difficulty. Past the trainings, the first alternative to observe advocacy is by assembly with Members of Congress in Washington, D.C.. College students can proceed to advocate past this system by connecting with their state alliance and tapping into future alternatives on the native and state degree.
How do you empower youth to take management of their very own advocacy?
The talents taught through the Youth Advocate Program will be taken again to their communities and taught to others of their program again residence. By empowering college students with lifelong expertise in advocacy, public talking, storytelling, and management, college students are poised to advocate for points they care about and encourage others to do the identical. Some Youth Advocates have gone on to create youth advisory councils or youth seats on their native Y board, turn into the youth chief on their college boards, and extra.
What recommendation would you give to organizations trying to begin or broaden their very own youth advocacy packages?
Right here are some things we’ve discovered alongside the best way:
- Begin small, go sluggish and construct buy-in. We began the Youth Advocate Program with 20 college students and created alternatives to showcase their enthusiasm and talents (their public talking, analysis and analytical expertise). This helped set up buy-in from the Y Motion and this system rapidly grew to become successful and the excessive level of our annual nationwide advocacy days occasion.
- Take away monetary limitations to take part when doable. Youth have distinctive experiences and views, and packages like this could take into account how to make sure entry for all youth.
- Choose skilled youth growth professionals to assist college students all through this system. Employees chaperones ship program content material, assist guarantee college students really feel supported and have a optimistic expertise, and set the tone of this system. Employees chaperones who’re devoted to the success of this system make all of the distinction!
- Guarantee that youngster security is a prime precedence. From background checks to room checks, having clear processes and procedures in place from the beginning will assist all kids stay protected in your program. And remember to convey this data to oldsters, college students, and occasion attendees.
“My expertise within the Youth Advocate Program was incredible. The Youth Advocate Program taught me methods to talk successfully, advocate professionally, and study extra about how my YMCA impacts my neighborhood and the significance of funding from my authorities. I used to be capable of study extra concerning the leaders who assist create the setting my YMCA offered for me. As well as, I used to be capable of talk with different YMCA advocates to study the affect their YMCA has on them. This program opened my eyes to how advocacy can actually create a optimistic change for myself and my neighborhood.”
– 2025 Youth Advocate
