Promoting positive relationships with peers

Emphasizing youths’ strengths Providing opportunities to learn

healthy behaviors Connecting youth with caring

adults Empowering youth to assume

leadership roles in programs Challenging youth in ways that

build their competence

Service learning/community service Religious participation School participation Extracurricular activities (i.e. clubs,

etc.) Sports participation Artistic expression (i.e. theaters,

media) Civic engagement

Impacts long-term citizenship behavior (i.e. voting)

civic competence sociopolitical development Psycho-political literacy cultural sensitivity critical thinking skills ability to solve conflicts non-violently

Youth participation in a local tobacco control campaign

Community gardens Small scale agriculture and cultural food

production Youth radio Technology lab (photography and video

action projects) Community mural Community assessment

Does this help others?

Does my effort make a difference?

Am I directly engaged?

Do I trust the organization?

Is it “cool” – do my friends do it?

NOT: It is my duty

Meet Alix:She is an 18-year old who lives in northern

California. She switched shampoos over animal testing and will not buy clothes produced by child labor. She yells a those who do not recycle, and last year in high school she helped organize a protest over the genocide in the Sudan, raising $13,000 for Darfur relief. All this was before she

was even eligible to vote.

This is the largest youth led organization in the US when it comes to civil and youth rights

Almost 10,000 youth members focus on removing and lowering legal restrictions that have been placed on the youths of today in America

To engage and build political power for young people in our country

Mixes popular culture and politics

Registered more than 5 million young people to vote, and has become a trusted source of information

MILLENNIAL GENERATION=1/4 OF THE ENTIRE ELECTORATE IN 2012

ServiceVote is a YSA’s U.S. election-year campaign to engage young people, ages 5-25, in the political process by connecting with their peers, voters, and candidates

For both voting age and non-voting age youth

Challenges young people to learn more about our government and political system

Creates connections between youths and adults

Focuses on youth empowerment, globalization, illegal child labor, and youth poverty

Formed in 1967 in Texas Aimed at fighting for Mexican-American

Rights Involved in voter registration Goal: to achieve equality for Mexican

Americans

Over 20 universities and colleges were represented for the Greater Together Youth Summit

Over 140 students who wereeager to learn about organizingfor President Obama on theircampus and attended an awesome day of training

Began in Summer 2009 Believe that young people’svoices are not being heard in theDebate over health care reform National organization representing the

interests of 18 to 34 year olds

Take advantage of the power of mass media

Use social networking sites Focus on youth-related issues, which

are often ignored by power politics and politicians

Use celebrities to expand interest in campaigns

Highlight the immediacy and necessity for ACTION!!!

The number of voters in the 2008 US Presidential election tripled, even quadrupled the total number of youth votes in some states compared to the 2004 elections

In the Time Magazine article “Why Young Voters Care Again.” it was reported that Obama drew more under-30 voters in some states than all Republican candidates combined

The result can be to strengthen democracy--making the good news even better!