Youth United for Change (YUC) is dedicated to developing young leaders in Philadelphia and providing them with training and tools to improve the quality of their education and communities.

"Without Y.U.C., we'd be just a mass of complaining people. Organizing helps bridge the gap between students and administrators so that we can be part of the decision-making."
Kwame Jones, Olney High School, March 2001

Organizing has both short term and long range benefits. In the short run, organizing efforts by students are an effective tool for getting things done: improving education. This may mean more books for students, cleaner bathrooms, new computers, higher academic standards or more after school clubs.

In the long run, organizing has benefits for the individual students involved. Through organizing, young people, historically alienated from decision-making processes, learn something new about themselves, find dignity in place of mistreatment and self-respect instead of a lack of self-confidence. They begin to use more fully the skills and abilities which they posses: to work cooperatively with others, to influence, to speak up and to fight back.

Y.U.C.'s organizing model:

Y.U.C. follows a specific institution-based model of community organizing to empower youth and develop local leadership. YUC brings Latino, African American, Asian and Caucasian youth together to identify common concerns and take collective action to address them. Students are organized through Y.U.C. chapters at local high schools. Each chapter has a leadership team of fifteen to twenty students who meet weekly and make the major decisions for the chapter. The leadership team gains input form the larger student body through school-wide surveys and listening campaigns.

Together students identify specific issues within their school or community which could be changed. They gather information and conduct research into the issues, then develop a strategy to address them. Students meet with school and public officials to discuss the issues and come up with solutions. Issue campaigns culminate with an action, where officials publicly make commitments and students celebrate their victories. Evaluation and reflection take place after each step.

Leadership training takes place throughout the school year during weekly after school meetings, intensive weekend retreats and an annual week-long Summer Leadership Institute.

Through Y.U.C.'s organizing model, young people have been able to address a variety of issues from safer streets to college preparation. The most recent issues include:

School Libraries

Multi-Cultural Curriculum

Computer Technology and the "Digital Divide"

College and Career Preparation

Building Facilities

Privatization of Philadelphia's Public Schools

Student Educational Plan for Philadelphia Public High Schools

Copyright © 2006 Youth United for Change