14. Community Leadership
Our vision includes every local YouthBuild becoming a center of advocacy, unity, coalition building, leadership, and struggle for better local conditions in every neighborhood. This only happens if program leadership stays focused on having maximum
impact, not just on preserving and enhancing its program internally. For the first year or two, new YouthBuild programs may not have much attention to give to the community beyond the development of a sound YouthBuild program. But if the goal to have
maximum impact on improving the conditions affecting the young people is there from the beginning, it will soon lead to the following types of action, which in turn will result in the creation of a reputation as a good collaborator.
Required action
- 14 A YouthBuild representatives participate actively in local coalitions designed to improve policies and access to resources.
Recommended actions
- 14 B YouthBuild sponsors community youth conferences to explore issues and reach recommendations regarding issues affecting youth and the neighborhood.
- 14 C YouthBuild convenes other local groups to devise common activities either as collaborations to improve direct services or as advocacy for increased resources or changed policies affecting the neighborhood.
- 14 D YouthBuild leads and staffs a coalition to achieve changes in policy or flow of resources to benefit the community.
- 14 E YouthBuild starts an entrepreneurial venture with graduates of the program.
- 14 F YouthBuild actively supports local economic development and self-sufficiency policies and practices.
- 14 G YouthBuild reaches out for faith-based and corporate support for YouthBuild and other neighborhood initiatives.
- 14 H YouthBuild program leadership participates in state YouthBuild coalitions.
