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Street Law / Programs / Youth Act!

Youth Act!

The Youth Act!® program teaches young people how to advocate for meaningful change in their communities. Using the advocacy process as a guide, youths design and participate in a community problem-solving project.

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Products & Publications

Youth Act!® Student Text

First edition, 2003

Details

Staff

Deborah Foster

senior program director

Judith Zimmer

deputy director

News & Updates

Damisha White's story

7 October 2009

Damisha White spent three years as an intern at Street... Read more

Teaching Advocacy and Making Change

25 June 2008

Advisers of school-sponsored groups are no strangers to bake sales,... Read more

Youth Act! goes to Egypt

1 July 2007

Street Law has partnered with the Assuit Human Rights Association... Read more

Street Law’s Youth Act!® program is ideal for groups of young people in school, after-school, and community settings. It has been successfully implemented across the U.S. and adapted for international use in Belarus, Egypt, Moldova, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

The Youth Act!® program is typically implemented by teams of volunteers from corporations, law firms, or law schools or via staff from secondary schools or community-based organizations. Street Law provides comprehensive training, teaching materials, and technical assistance for this fee-based program. Participating groups provide volunteers, a licensing fee, and some supplies and program enhancements.

The Youth Act!® program appeals to diverse learning styles and abilities and has been used with students ages 13 through 30. The program lays a foundation for young people to make a difference throughout their lives while building important civic engagement skills, including

Advocacy
Communication
Public speaking
Cooperation
Coalition building
Community problem solving

In addition to the personal benefits of participation, young people participating in Youth Act!® get results! Here are a few examples of community problem solving in action:

Advocated to install a stoplight at the entrance to their school by meeting with city council officials
Became local experts on homelessness and developed informed and realistic public policy options
Improved transportation conditions by successfully advocating for additional bus lines
Testified before state legislative committees in support of pending legislation on graduating licensing
Improved conditions and services of a local hospital's emergency room
Lobbied local businesses to improve access to work-related training and employment opportunities for young people
Used social media to conduct action alert campaigns to encourage community members to contact their elected representatives on pending votes for a gun control law

To learn more about starting a Youth Act!® Program, contact Judy Zimmer.