Mission and Description

YouthLEAD (Youth Leadership, Education & Diversity) is a year round program focused on developing youth leadership and employment skills while building multicultural friendships among youth, 13-18 years old, through positive after school and weekend activities. Annually, 175-200 youth participate in YouthLEAD programs and activities. YouthLEAD has a strong emphasis on bringing together youth from diverse backgrounds to learn about others, better understand and appreciate cultural differences and build multicultural friendships. A primary focus of the program is to provide a link between the community built at Camp Sunrise and the participant's home communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

YouthLEAD works with YouthCARE’s Camp Sunrise program to offer year round program opportunities for the youth. Program activities include:

Youth Advisory Council: The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) involves youth in the YouthCARE decision making process. YAC members work in committees to plan, lead and evaluate program activities for their peers. Program components include YAC Retreats in the fall and spring, monthly meetings, committee meetings, and representing youth at YouthCARE’s Board of Director's meetings.

Community Service Stars Employment Program: 
CS Stars is an employment training program for youth who live in Minneapolis. In partnership with the Minneapolis Employment and Training Program, YouthCARE hires 12 – 14 youth for on the job training. Youth work at local non-profit organizations to learn how to search, apply, and keep a job. During their experience youth participate in leadership and employment workshops, career and college visits, and learn about important issues impacting their community and how they can work to positively make a change.

Large Social & Recreational Activities: 
YouthCARE conducts social and recreational activities during the school year, to bring together 85-125 youth from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Youth Advisory Council Members plan and lead the events for other youth to participate in. Activities include roller skating, gym & swim nights, dances, snow tubing, bowling and an Annual Lock-In Event. Adult program staff and volunteers supervise activities and provide youth with transportation to and from activities.

Social Mentoring: 
In addition to the leadership and recreational activities, YouthLEAD provides small group social outings each month. Youth who are not as involved with our leadership programs are invited to these activities. Activities may include trips to cultural events, museums, and other social activities.
(Youth Leadership, Education & Diversity) is a year round program focused on developing youth leaders and building multicultural friendships among youth, 13-18 years old, through positive after school and weekend activities.

Camp Camera:
This program provides 8 – 10 youth from YouthCARE and 8 – 10 students from Macalester College the opportunity to learn about photography together. The group meets once a week for 7 weeks, visiting galleries, learning about how cameras work, and taking their own photos. The culmination of the project is a photo exhibit of their work at a gallery showing. Coordination and funding for this program are provided by Macalester College with YouthLEAD staff providing youth recruitment and transportation for each meeting.

To view Camp Camera's website, go to www.campcamera.org
To read an article about how this program started and to learn more about last year's program, click here.

Demographic Information:

Serving a diverse population YouthLEAD works with youth ages 13-18 from Minneapolis and St Paul in the following general demographic breakdown:

• African American – 40%
• Asian American – 31%
• Native American – 4%
• European American – 6%
• Chicano/Latino – 7%
• African – 5%
• Other – 7%