For more than 20 years the Youth Leadership Institute has been training youth through leadership programs that focus on integrating participants in positive community-development campaigns. The staff engages young people in assessing their community’s social issues. Then, participants are given the resources and training to initiate change through programs and campaigns. During training sessions, youth learn skills in areas such as research writing, public speaking, and teamwork. The organization’s community-based programs reach out to communities in Fresno, Marin, San Marino, and San Francisco Counties, partnering with other local organizations to address local issues.
Each year, Youth Leadership Institute trains around 1,300 middle- and high-school students, and more than 70% of the participants are from low-income families. Participants often report improved skills in research, writing, teamwork, and civic engagement.
