Youth Leadership Institute

White House Council for Community Solutions Launches National Effort to Put Disconnected Youth on Pathways to Education and Work

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:41:00 GMT

On Tuesday, the White House Office of Community Solutions announced the launch of a national effort to put disconnected "Opportunity Youth" on pathways to education and employment. The Youth Leadership Institute is proud to serve as a partner in this effort, leading the engagement of Opportunity Youth.

We've provided some key excepts below. The full text of the release can be found here.

"In response to President Obama’s challenge to the nation to help every young adult find a pathway to long-term economic success, The White House Council for Community Solutions today announced it will join a diverse coalition of partners to launch a 100-day initiative to unite all citizens to go “All In” for youth..."

"The Council will ...work with Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) to communicate directly with young adults disconnected from school and work – and ensure that their voices and views are central to every community town hall-style gathering. YLI will identify local youth ambassadors – who effectively illustrate the potential Opportunity Youth offer to the nation when barriers to school and work are removed from their path – to serve as spokespersons and partners for this effort..."

We Are The Ones We've Been Waiting For: A Call For Community

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:36:00 GMT

Last week I attended the Summer Jobs+ Summit convened by the White House Council for Community Solutions. YLI has been providing support to this work, serving as the youth engagement strategist for the Council. To that end, we recently hosted a series of youth conversations, identified youth spokespersons, and provided these spokespersons with media training.

The White House event showcased the two youth ambassadors we had the honor to nominate: Shaakirah Medford of the All Stars Project in New York and Jose-Luis Mejia of Transitional Age Youth San Francisco. I may be biased but it’s the truth: the youth panel was the highlight of the day with both Shaakirah and Jose-Luis lighting up the stage. The authenticity and power of their voices and call to action was undeniable and above all, moving.

And what ensued was a conversation about real issues. I am pleased that the attendees—leaders from business, nonprofits, and government—were ready to discuss the underlying root issue: a profound lack of investment in our public education system. This was not a program to merely provide a good photo op or two, but rather the launch of a legitimate campaign to forge short-term relief and long-term fixes to the problem. The campaign has three basic launch messages:

- We can connect disconnected youth
- We must connect disconnected youth (as a moral and economic imperative.)
- Let’s get started now

Our surprise guest, President Barack Obama, drove that point home and rallied the audience to step up to the challenge of investing in youth in ways that will ensure our future. I came across an article on the Summer Jobs+ summit that talked about achieving “more bang for community bucks” and I would add in this case we are equally empowered to proclaim, “more community for your bucks.” That is, after all, what youth really want – community.

I’m sure there is general cynicism about this effort in an election year but I’ll choose to accentuate the positive and seize the opportunity: how often have we had a real national conversation about low-income and disconnected youth who are disproportionally people of color?

Here’s the White House press release with the official word on the Summer Jobs+ program.

We must open the doors of opportunity. But we must also equip our people to walk through those doors.

– Lyndon B. Johnson

Youth Leadership Institute Announces New CEO

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:11:00 GMT

Following an extensive national search, the Board of Directors of the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) announced today that it has tapped philanthropy strategist and youth advocacy pioneer CJ Callen as the new CEO of the organization.

“CJ stood out from a very impressive group of applicants with her remarkable passion for youth, relevant experience, and vision for YLI’s future,” said YLI Board of Director’s Co-Chair, Mary Topliff.

Callen joins YLI with deep philanthropic and social change leadership. She has provided program strategy and design support to foundations and individual donors through her consulting firm, and authored a report on the state of social justice philanthropy. She also designed curriculum and taught nonprofit governance and administration for Golden Gate University’s nonprofit leadership program, and led education and professional development programs at Northern California Grantmakers. Callen is a trustee of the Whitman Institute, a private foundation, a board member of Bay Area Blacks in Philanthropy, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Foundation Center—San Francisco.

“I’m grateful to be the next leader of YLI with its rich history of bringing youth voices to social justice causes” said Callen. “This fulfills a longstanding personal passion to help develop youth leaders both locally and nationally.” Her youth leadership tenure includes helping author Every Kid Counts: 31 Ways to Save our Children; co-producing I Wish I Were A Princess, an award-winning video; and founding Youth Making A Change, a pioneering program focused on engaging young people in community organizing and advocacy.

Callen earned her JD from the Stanford University School of Law, and her BA in Political Science from New York University.

YLI started the search in late summer after the planned transition of Founder and 20-year CEO, Maureen Sedonaen.

CJ Callen will begin her leadership role at YLI on November 28, 2011.

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Click here to download the press release in PDF and Word Doc and a photo of Ms. Callen.

Youth Leadership Institute 20th Anniversary Gala Celebrates Two Decades of Youth-Led Change

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:07:00 GMT

The Youth Leadership Institute 20th Anniversary Gala was held on September 15, 2011 at San Francisco City Hall. Over 350 guests attended, including youth participants and their family members, supporters, community partners, elected officials, board members, and staff.

Local celebrity chefs and their youth assistant chefs demonstrated their culinary talent, followed by speakers and an awards ceremony. State Senator Mark Leno and San Francisco Supervisor David Chiu both spoke in support of the outstanding work of the Youth Leadership Institute and its youth leaders. Founder and former CEO, Maureen Sedonaen, was also honored for her dedication and achievement. Several youth participants were honored for their leadership:

Jose Ceja, Maureen Sedonaen Founder Award

Christine Huynh, Innovator Award

Janet Salcedo, Advocate Award

Ivan Shaw, Visionary Award

A big thanks to our sponsors and contributors, including our presenting sponsor, Marin Community Foundation.

Our gratitude to all who have supported the work of the Institute and over the last two decades. We look forward to our next two decades of building communities that invest in youth!

Youth Leadership Institute receives $89,779 grant for continued funding of San Mateo County’s Friday Night Live Program

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:42:00 GMT

The Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) San Mateo was recently awarded with an $89,779 grant from The Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Division of the San Mateo County Health System. The award is for ongoing support of Friday Night Live and Club Live Services.

Friday Night Live (FNL) was developed in 1984 to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by teen motorists driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. By 1990, the number of counties with the FNL Program had increased 300% and the main focus of the program began to shift from one of preventing drinking and driving among teens to promoting healthy lifestyles free of alcohol, tobacco and other negative environmental factors like violence and gambling.*

YLI San Mateo currently provides youth development, skill building and technical assistance for youth-led action groups for 20 San Mateo County high school-age Friday Night Live and middle school-age Club Live chapters.

For more information on YLI’s programs and training, please send an email to info@yli.org.

* courtesy of fridaynightlive.org

YLI Wins Grant from Lucille Packard Foundation for Children's Health

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:47:00 GMT

The Youth Leadership Institute has received a $9,460 grant from the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health for a project in which youth will learn to gather and analyze data on young people in their communities and present the information to policymakers.

The project will cover San Francisco, Marin, Fresno, and San Mateo counties. Participants will be paired with adults to examine demographic, economic, school and health disparities data from www.kidsdata.org, create summaries, and propose solutions to community leaders.

“We are pleased to support the Youth Leadership Institute in encouraging young people to learn about the issues that affect their lives and think creatively about how to address local concerns,” said David Alexander, MD, president and CEO of the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health.

The grant is part of a foundation program to bring attention to key issues facing children, and to promote the use of data in efforts to improve children’s lives. A list of the grants awarded is available online.

The foundation’s mission is to elevate the priority of children's health, and increase the quality and accessibility of children's health care through leadership and direct investment. For more information about the foundation's programs, visit www.lpfch.org.

YLI Staff Learn to Apply Google Mapping Tools to Community Change

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:45:00 GMT

The Institute at the Golden Gate at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito held a Google Earth Outreach Training on February 16th and 17th. Kristen Law and April Hoogasian, of the Youth Leadership Institute attended the two day training along with staff from non-profits from around the nation.

Google Earth Outreach gives non-profits and public benefit organizations the knowledge and resources they need to visualize their cause and tell their story in Google Earth & Maps. Tools presented during the two day workshop included Google My Maps, Google Earth and fusion tables. Presenters shared innovative applications of the Outreach Tools providing comprehensive instructions of how to best utilize the tools.

Google mapping tools can empower youth and community members to create positive social change. Coupled with existing YLI curriculum, Google mapping tools will allow youth to comprehensively document and critically examine their communities. Youth can use their maps to communicate their experiences and visions for change with other youth and key stakeholders. Given the many features of Google maps youth will have the ability to customize maps with personalized text, photos, videos, and more. The outcome is a unique communication tool that can be used to catalyze important community-level dialogue regarding local needs, assets and strategies for change.

Fresno Youth Meet to Tell "The Truth About Us"

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 23:37:00 GMT

On January 29th, Fresno County youth gathered for a Media Advocacy and Outreach training retreat. Over the last few months, youth have been working on a positive social norms campaign, "The Truth about Us." The retreat provided youth with valuable skills such as engaging the community through effective outreach strategies, how to tell your story to the media, and how to effectively utilize social media channels. Youth also shared ideas with each other around media messages and strategies and discussed future action steps.

This article was originally published on Thursday, February 3, 2011 on the Youth Leadership Institute's Fresno Blog. You can read it here.

San Mateo County Youth Kick-Off Another Year of Friday Night Live Programs!

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:08:00 GMT

On October 21, 2010, Youth Leadership Institute held an open house to kick-off the program year for Friday Night Live and Club Live youth programs in San Mateo County. Over 75 youth, adult allies, parents, and community partners participated in the open house, where they networked, shared their advocacy campaigns, and discussed issues affecting local youth. Key stakeholders and community leaders from throughout the county were also in attendance, including Steve Kaplan, County Director of Alcohol & Other Drug Services; Sergeant Norris from San Mateo City Police Department; and Larry Best, Executive Director of Peninsula Partnership Leadership Council/Silicon Valley Community Foundation staff.

The event included special recognition for YO! Mateo youth coalition member and Co-Chair, José Ceja, who received the California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) Youth Advocate of the Year award and the Erich Jenkins Memorial Scholarship. This honor comes with the added distinction of being the only such award issued this year in the entire state. Jose’s award continues San Mateo County’s proud legacy of five CYAN awardees in the past seven years. Congratulations, José!

Youth Leadership Institute is proud to support the youth movement in San Mateo County through providing training and technical assistance to the countywide network of Friday Night Live and Club Live programs. Friday Night Live and Club Live are part of a statewide network of community programs focused on forming youth-adult partnerships to support positive outcomes for youth. Learn more about Friday Night Live and Club Live at www.fridaynightive.org.

Marin Voice: Most kids get their booze from adult

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:08:00 GMT

Editor's Note: Maureen Sedonaen, Founder, President and CEO of the Youth Leadership Institute, contributed the following piece to today's Marin Independent Journal. This piece is in response to last month's tragic auto accident in Novato, which left one teen dead and four others injured. The 16-year old driver was arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving.

Marin Voice: Most kids get their booze from adult

Marin Independent Journal, October 1, 2020

The tragic death of one Novato teen in a crash involving four others is one of several recent and alarming Marin events related to underage drinking.

Surveys show that more than half of Marin's 11th graders, and 27 percent of 9th graders, regularly consume alcohol, a rate that has not diminished for the past five years and is one of the highest rates in the country.

Studies also have shown that most teenagers get their alcohol from adults. The second most common source for 18- to 20-year-olds is buying from a store, bar or restaurant, despite the fact that such sales are illegal.

It's not enough to simply tell youth about the consequences of underage drinking and expect them to make the right choices. Young people drink and engage in high-risk alcohol-related behavior when they have access to alcoholic beverages, and when social conditions in their homes and communities encourage alcohol use.

Across the country, the most successful community strategies to combat underage drinking involve making tangible changes to restrict youth access to alcohol. This strategy also sends a clear message to youth (and adults) that underage drinking is unacceptable.

In recent years, Marin made great strides in reducing youth access to alcohol when the county and cities, including Novato, adopted social host ordinances that hold parents accountable for youth access to alcohol in their homes. Other vital policy actions have included decisions to adopt reasonable and responsible alcohol beverage service policies in public fairs and events like the Novato Art and Wine Festival.

But, as recent events tragically illustrate, our jobs aren't finished. There's more that we can do to reduce youth access to alcohol and its potentially deadly outcomes. The best solutions require an all-community response - parents, schools and government officials working cooperatively to further reduce youth access to alcohol.

Our community must continue to embrace strategies that focus on changing the community conditions that make alcohol so readily available.

Because this crash involved students and occurred during the school day, a degree of attention will necessarily be focused on what schools can do to eliminate alcohol-problems with youth.

Novato schools have always been strong partners in prevention, educating their students, parents and being engaged in Friday Night Live and other prevention programs. Schools are only part of the solution in reducing alcohol problems. The family, community and society must step up to do a better job.

What can Marin communities do?

Adopt additional policies and laws that restrict youth access to alcohol. Require all servers to be trained in responsible alcoholic beverage service practices. Enforce the Social Host Laws. Reduce or eliminate alcohol at community events and celebrations where youth are present.

Work to change community norms that send messages about the acceptability of underage drinking. Parents can host parties for their kids without alcohol. Binge drinking is not a rite of passage and cannot be treated as such.

Reduce exposure to alcohol marketing. Our kids get enough exposure to alcohol messages in the grocery store, on TV, through the computer, etc. Let's reduce or eliminate the marketing of alcohol at school and community-sponsored events.

Support the prevention efforts in the community. We need to build a stronger base of support for this work and create solutions that move beyond education.

Please join us as we move forward to create a healthier community for our kids. Community problems call for community solutions. It takes a village.

Maureen Sedonaen founded the Youth Leadership Institute in Marin. She is the organization's President and Chief Executive Officer.

You can read the article on the Indepedent Journal's website here.