Among a community’s most valuable assets are its children and youth. As our young people thrive, so do we all. As they struggle, so do our communities. In urban and rural settings across the United States, marginalized youth are crying out for the opportunity to change the places they call home.
Among them is 17-year-old Luisa Ashenfelter, who is growing up in one of Seattle’s hardscrabble neighborhoods. Here in 2008, nine people—four of them juveniles—were gunned down by gang members. The threat of violence is a constant companion in this community, robbing many local youth of the will to stand up against brutality. But Luisa refuses to succumb to the fear. “The change starts within yourself. You’ve got to want something better,” the diminutive yet bold high schooler says with conviction.
Luisa’s passion echoes across the nation as dedicated youth from 12 of the country’s most vulnerable communities join forces to transform their neighborhoods so that gang violence, drugs, and social injustice no longer have a stranglehold on their lives. World Vision is equipping these youth to embrace a new and vibrant future through its Youth Empowerment Project.
Members of the Seattle delegation meet with Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) in his office on Capitol Hill.
The Youth Empowerment Project—World Vision’s signature project in the United States— unleashes young people’s wisdom, creativity, and passion as they learn to lead positive change in their communities. In a country founded on equal opportunity for all, World Vision advocates for change in the social and economic realities that perpetuate inequality and prevent children from reaching their full potential. Young people have a particularly compelling message and role to play in the process of community transformation. The Youth Empowerment Project provides them with the opportunity to reflect on their community experience, refine their advocacy voice, and promote positive change in their neighborhoods.
Many of the teenagers participating in the Youth Empowerment Project have stood at the graveside of friends and loved ones who died too young from violence. Some have been homeless or had parents in prison. Some have been in gangs. Others grew up in abusive homes.
Despite the challenges, these youth are not ready to give up or give in. The Youth Empowerment Project equips these young people with training, support, experiences, and resources that develop their leadership and advocacy potential—becoming active citizens who speak out and influence change in their communities.
Each year, participating youth spend 20 weeks in intensive training, identifying and studying their community’s urgent needs and then developing policy proposals to address those needs. Young people from all over the country who have completed their training gather in Washington, DC, each summer to present the proposals to their respective members of Congress. In July 2009, youth delegates visited the offices of 38 members of Congress from 10 states along with two members of the District of Columbia City Council. Half of the meetings were attended by the members of Congress themselves. The students had the opportunity to present their recommendations and engage in thoughtful discussion and debate with their representatives. The efforts of some of the youth delegates persuaded several members of Congress to support legislation on the prevention of youth violence.
When the Youth Empowerment Project delegates return home from Washington, they continue to advocate for change in their communities and teach others to join them in transforming their neighborhoods. In 2008, Youth Empowerment Project delegates from Seattle, WA, established a local advocacy campaign called “Who’s Next?”—a youth-led effort that promotes nonviolence at citywide rallies and in local schools.
The Youth Empowerment Project works to foster confident young leaders who are using their talent and vision to shape bright futures for themselves and the nation. Shawn Dunbar, a delegate from Albany, GA, says, “I saw Youth Empowerment Project as something positive that I could give back to my community and peers. Also I wanted to learn to be a good leader … to be the person that stands out and does the right thing.”
Nathalie Moberg is a senior writer and Corryne Deliberto a domestic policy advisor with World Vision.
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