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Leadership Programs Encourage Personal Growth
Many organizations in New Jersey and throughout the country devote precious staff energy and program dollars towards the development of youth leadership skills. Some set leadership development as their primary mission while other groups maintain that these skills can be nurtured as young people join forces towards the achievement of a special cause.
Scouting is devoted to leadership development
Local chapters of the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts can be found in local communities throughout the state.
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation's largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness. For nearly a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through nearly a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society. Find a council.
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA ) is the preeminent organization for and leading authority on girls, with 3.6 million girl and adult members. Now in its 96th year, Girl Scouting strives to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place by engaging them in activities that foster discovery, connection and action. Find a council near you.
Want Your Daughter to be a Leader?
Boys and Girls Clubs Foster Leadership and Enhance Community Spirit
In over 4,300 Club locations throughout the world, Boys and Girls Clubs are involving 4.5 million children in programs and services that promote and enhance their development by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. Activities vary based upon the community, but in every location you will find staff encouraging young people to complete their homework, play sports or recreational activities, enter an art competition or have a healthy snack…in short, creating the wholesome environment kids need.
Keystone Clubs for young people between the ages of 14 and 18 and Torch Clubs targeting youth between the ages of 11-13 are found in many Boys and Girls Clubs and offer teens further opportunity to develop and act upon agendas that bring about good in their local communities. Learn more here.
Local Leadership Programs
Youth Leadership Institute
IMPACT Community Development Corporation (IMPACT CDC) has launched the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), an initiative designed to provide tutorial programs to fit specific school districts in Essex County, from essential skills such as Mathematics, Language Arts, Literacy and the Sciences to ACT™ and SAT® prep classes as well as state mandated tests. The YLI also develops leadership skills through a training program that includes soft skills, effective communication and public speaking skills, self-esteem building and mentorship skills training. Assistance with online searches for scholarship information and completion of scholarship applications with emphasis on essay writing is also available.
YLI offers a number of other innovative programs including their Emerging Leaders Program which is designed to build the leadership skills and developmental abilities of target youth with the help of traditional and non-traditional youth leaders. YLI also offers leadership training services for parents. Learn more about the Parent Leadership Training.
To speak with someone about the Youth Leadership Institute call (973) 857-8533.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Leadership Conference
In an effort to encourage youth to make daily positive choices, the King Commission hosts the regional Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Leadership Conference throughout the academic school year at various colleges across the state. This conference targets high school students and is intended to motivate youth to stay in school and make positive choices that will lead to success. Workshops address such topics as planning for college, funding a college education, as well as character and leadership development. The next conference will take place on October 30, 2009 and will be held at New Jersey City University in Jersey City. For more information call 609-777-4134 or e-mail. Learn more about this commission and its activities here.
Leadership Opportunities that Promote a Cause
The following are but a few examples of organizations that build youth leadership skills through focused efforts towards the achievement of select goals.
The Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute is a program that is devoted to reducing the frequency of teenage alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use by guiding students to realize their leadership potential, learn new skills, and to become empowered to create change in their schools and communities.
The Institute is dedicated to providing young people with opportunities to become strong leaders. Activities are often coordinated within the school and vary in length from afternoon sessions to week long camp experiences that culminate in commitment to a year’s worth of active involvement in achieving goals set during the camp experience. Students leave LMTI programs with a sense of confidence, purpose, and motivation that continues through the school year and often throughout their lives. Learn more here; call 201-696-0368; or e-mail the organization.
Children’s Defense Fund is dedicated developing the next generation of leaders who are committed to social justice and improving the lives of all children in America. To help achieve this goal, one of the many programs that CDF offers is the Young Advocate Leadership Training (YALT) program.
The YALT program is a three-day, intensive organizing training that connects young adults with CDF’s legislative campaigns and priorities, specifically around education reform and health coverage for all children and pregnant women. Participants are taught tactics and strategies that can be implemented in their communities and on their college campuses.
The next YALT program is scheduled for October 2-4, 2009. Applications are due on August 28th. For additional information or questions regarding the YALT program, please e-mail or call Jalaya Liles Dunn at (202) 628-8787.Learn more.
The American Conference on Diversity is determined to work with leaders to create and enhance a society that embraces social justice for us all and dedicated to promoting inclusion and respect in schools, workplaces and communities. This organization coordinates a range of youth education and peer leadership education programs for New Jersey high school and college students called the Youth Leadership Institute.
Among the program offerings is Lead for Diversity, a week-long human-relations peer leadership program open to all high school students across the state of New Jersey. Every summer each participating school hand-selects a delegation of students. Through carefully structured interactive workshops, small group discussions, and experiential learning activities, students will acquire peer leadership, conflict resolution, and human relations skills necessary for success in a diverse world. Additionally, each student delegation will develop an Action Plan to help reduce prejudice and promote inclusion within their school communities, and work closely with a faculty advisor throughout the academic year to implement that Action Plan in their schools. Learn more about this and other programs here or call 732-745-9330.
Find a chapter near you.
Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s medical charity focused on correcting cleft palates and other facial deformities depends on volunteers from every walk of life to contribute their energy and passion to help the organization achieve its goals. Students are a big part of this effort and in the course of their involvement they learn essential leadership skills and gain transformational life experience. More than 500 Operation Smile Student Clubs in New Jersey and around the globe build awareness, raise funds and educate students about the core values of commitment, leadership and volunteerism. Student leaders are a valuable asset to every international medical mission. When students help children in need, they learn firsthand how they can make an impact on the world and help heal humanity. Learn more by calling (757) 321-7645 or contact the youth coordinator by e-mail. Learn more.
Some Leadership Development Programs are Designed for Specific Audiences
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) offers youth leadership programs designed to prepare young deaf and hard of hearing Americans to become future leaders and advocates by increasing their self-confidence, sense of community, and thirst for knowledge. Members in junior and senior high school chapters of NAD learn and practice leadership skills and develop self-confidence. Involvement at this level provides one with the opportunity to participate in national conferences and NAD’s Youth Leadership Camp (YLC), an annual four-week summer program designed to teach deaf and hard of hearing high school students to live life to the fullest! The camp program fosters communication, leadership skills, and self-confidence, and gives campers tools to achieve their goals. Learn more.
Pick up the phone and dial 2-1-1 when you need help.
You are encouraged to dial “2-1-1” 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need help in understanding and finding available assistance services. Language translation and TTY services are offered to any caller. You can also
search the database of services in your local community or Chat Live with an experienced community resource specialist. 2-1-1 will help identify with you the best local resources to fit your individual needs during times of financial distress or for life’s everyday situations.
If you know of additional resources that would be appropriate to include, please let us know by contacting us via e-mail at info@nj211.org.
Research Sources Included
http://www.sitehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=icdc_youthleadership
http://www.sitehome.org/site/PageServer?pagename=icdc_parentleadership
http://www.childrensdefense.org
http://www.lmteeninstitute.org
http://www.americanconferenceondiversity.net
http://www.operationsmile.org/
http://www.nad.org/youth-leadership-programs
Page last modified 8.13.09
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