Youth Leadership Academy Launches First Projects

In the spring of 2008 the West Sacramento Youth Resource Coalition launched its first Youth Leadership Academy projects. Originally inspired by the WSYRC youth group, Sactown Heroes, these first projects focus on youth interests, including community action and health education.

Youth members of the WSYRC expressed interest in opportunities that would allow them to play a larger role within their community. The City of West Sacramento sponsored a focus group for youth, which was a continuation of the City’s Community Visioning project.  This project creates an open forum for residents of West Sacramento to voice their opinions about their community, and discuss what they envision for the future.  Several youth and adult Coalition members took an active role in this project. As a result, the City agreed to continue this effort in a youth only Community Visioning Project which has become one of the Coalition’s Youth Leadership Academy projects. The group has begun to meet to identify issues and perform problem solving activities which will allow them to have a voice among the leaders of the City of West Sacramento.

In conjunction with the Community Visioning project, the Youth Leadership Academy will begin another workshop entitled “Group Graphics for All!” This cool new workshop will teach youth how to record meeting notes through graphic images. This will be a valuable skill for those youth working directly with the West Sacramento Youth Resource Coalition and has already created a buzz in the community.

One of our newer Youth Leadership Academy projects is our job shadowing program hosted by CommuniCare Health Centers Teen Clinic. This four week program allows youth to have direct hands on training with Teen Program staff in a clinic setting learning about reproductive health care and the basics of working inside a medical facility.

The Youth Leadership Academy continues to provide new and exciting opportunities for youth. If your organization is interested in hosting a project, please contact WSYRC staff.