Youth & Government

For over 74 years, YMCA Youth & Government has provided high school youth throughout California an experiential learning program by modeling California’s legislature and courts. The program offers teen youth participants from around the state the opportunity to collaborate with others, make new friends, and build skills such as critical thinking, persuasive public speaking, writing and research. Youth & Government is rooted in the YMCA’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility and is a platform for social responsibility, servant leadership and personal development.  We strive to offer a program where everyone feels a sense of belonging and that we help to support the spirit, mind and body of every individual.

Our goal is to nurture the next generation of civically engaged Californians so that they recognize the importance of:

• Civic Knowledge: They understand the structure, function, and procedures of the California Legislature, including bill development.
• Civic Awareness: They can identify the major issues facing their communities.
• Civic Action: They are equipped with the tools they’ll need to make change in their community and can identify the importance of mutual respect, personal responsibility, and active listening in group settings.