Youth Empowerment Summer (YES!)
This year WTBN pioneered a new program called YES!
(Youth Empowerment Summer) Internship. Throughout the month of August,
six students from Hiram Johnson High School will be meeting daily
at CSUS for four weeks to receive intensive anti-violence activism
training through a collaborative project sponsored by Women Take
Back the Night, the Hiram Johnson Family and Youth Resource Center
(Healthy Start) and the CSUS Women's Resource Center.
This exciting internship covers leadership development,
training on a variety of issues related to violence (bullying, gang
violence, anti-gay violence, dating violence and acquaintance rape,
computer safety, sexual harassment, etc.) and on organizing skills,
using both traditional and non-traditional/electronic means. They
will also have the opportunity to participate in team building activities
and self-defense training.
The group of students selected for this year is
a wonderful, diverse group of very motivated kids, ranging from
sophomores to seniors. Following the four week training, the will
begin a year-long mentorship with a community mentor who works in
the anti-violence field. They will also receive ongoing support
from the Healthy Start program throughout the 2004-05 school year
as they carry out the anti-violence projects that they design during
their training. We are excited to "pass on the torch"
by helping these talented students to become the next generation
of anti-violence activists.
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