The Alliance is excited to announce a new opportunity to expand and improve the involvement of youth advocacy efforts statewide.  Each year, we send students to participate in the National Advocacy Days Youth Advocate Program, where they represent all of New York’s YMCAs in D.C. at meetings with Congressional legislators and staff.  The success of this program has inspired us to extend the model to the state level and offer the same experience for students from Ys in New York.  Below you will find information on how your students can represent your YMCA at both levels.

New York State Youth Advocates Program

This will be the first year of the New York State Youth Advocate Program, coinciding with our State Advocacy Day.  Each YMCA can nominate and bring students grades 8-12 to Albany to participate in an overnight program-learning about the YMCA, the benefit we bring to communities, and how to be an effective advocate.  The program will culminate with students participating in advocacy at the State Capitol in meetings with legislators and assisting with our outreach.  You can learn more about this in the attachment, and we hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity and nominate a Youth Advocate from your Y! 

Please use this link to complete the nomination: Please Click Here to Complete the Nomination.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 29th 

YMCA National Advocacy Days Youth Advocates Program

Each year at YMCA National Advocacy Days in Washington, DC, State Alliances and Youth and Government programs have the opportunity to nominate two (2) of their student participants to represent their states as part of the YMCA Youth Advocate Program.  As part of the program, these students will travel to DC from March 4-6, 2019 to represent our state alongside the CEOs and Staff who lead our state delegation. They will receive training throughout the winter on the YMCA movement, our Legislative Priorities, and sharing their Y-Story as Youth Advocates. You can learn more in the attachment provided. 

If there is a student from your YMCA who would like to apply to be one of our representatives from New York State, they should use this application:  Please Click Here to complete the New York State National Youth Advocates Application

Application Deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 15