Over the last several months, the team discussed at length whether or not it made sense to launch a spring cohort of our Visionaries program. There were a lot of things that we kept taking into consideration like did it make sense to launch it knowing it would be virtual? Should we hold off until the summer? Ultimately, we realized that we needed to get out of our own way and speak directly to youth about the timing and benefits of bringing on a new group. When we heard from our youth board, the answer was a resounding yes.
Young people today are managing countless changes- it’s an endless barrage of changes due to COVID, stressors, obligations, opportunities, and needs. While we are in no way a solution to all of that, we know that the Visionaries program can offer support in those areas. As an organization that can offer support, we had a responsibility to put the program out there rather than discuss internally about how youth might respond to the timing or its virtual set up. As adults, we often make assumptions about what we think our youth need or want. It’s a horrible habit and one that, as a team, we are always trying to be aware of. Young people know what they need and if a program offers a benefit, they will fully commit to it. We need to provide the opportunity for them to make that educated decision. Simple as that.
So, with all that being said, on Monday, we launched the EYP Spring 2021 Cohort. It’s a highly diverse group of youth ranging in ages 15-20 years old. All are managing various barriers in their lives and all have made a conscious decision to commit to one another as part of this program.
In the coming weeks, they’ll continue to build their skills and more importantly, their confidence in the competency of those skills. In the back half of the program cycle, they’ll work together to plan a civic engagement initiative, which they will implement together. The project will focus on one of three areas – education, equity, or thriving communities. At that point, our EYP Visionaries will have an opportunity to put into practice the skills they have learned and developed while in the program. We’re so excited to see this group continue to grow and to see how that growth and persistence will impact one another and the larger community.
Until next time…
Continue to envision your pathway forward.