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Youth Leadership Prototype

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Youth Leadership Goal

Increase the number of youth participating in leadership opportunities

Theory

More youth will participate if a) they are compensated for their time b) they know the opportunities exist and c) they can have impact in areas they care about. If more youth are engaging with leadership, we can make sure the most relevant services and resources are being offered.

Connect to Work-based Learning

With the passage of , school leaders will have an incentive to offer increased work-based learning opportunities. If we structure youth leadership as internships, we can use this change to raise awareness of the programs AND offer credit towards graduation

Empower CBOs

Rather than relying on the districts to work with orgs to design internship programs, we can help CBOs learn how to do this design work independently by providing training, removing a bottleneck that otherwise limits youth internship opportunities & better reaching historically disenfranchised youth

Raise Money

Through partnership with Apex Leadership, we can empower youth teams to raise money to fund internship stipends by running Anythons

Engage Decision Makers

Encourage city and district staff to tap into this pool of youth leaders to support their decision making rather than establishing their own separate youth advisory panels

Strategies

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New Legislation

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Work-based learning experiences will be added as an indicator of success for high schools on the school performance framework starting in the 2027-28 school year. Colorado House Bill 25-1278

Implications

  1. School leaders have an incentive to integrate more work-based learning opportunities
  2. Central office has an incentive to authorize more work-based learning opportunities
  3. We can help expand leadership efforts by structuring as work-based learning

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Existing Build Your Own Internship

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  • Youth leadership can become internship programs
  • School districts need support to meet the upcoming demand in helping to get these programs designed and registered
  • The DRC will provide this training through our certification program

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Existing Programming & Supports

Wide range of existing youth leadership programs citywide that can be registered

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DRC is offering direct support in delivering youth leadership training to participating organizations and being a thought partner on the design of that training

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Increased Need for Youth Advise

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  • Significant cuts in City of Denver’s Office of Children’s affairs
  • DPS restructuring, where they are doing a step back on how to engage youth to advise the superintendent
  • General funding cuts across the city that limit extra time and space needed to listen to voice and collaborate
  • Youth voice - your voice - is needed. We’d love to get you connected!

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Partnership with

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For Technology: Anython Platform

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  • Every student gets their own QR code and website
  • Donors can enter one-time donations or pledges based on an activity you have committed to doing
  • The site automates the process that allows donors to take advantage of matching programs offered by their employers
  • 70% of funds raised come from outside of your immediate school community
  • 2x dollars raised from similar initiatives without the platform

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