Summary of 2016 Leadership Academy

January 28th – 30th, 2016

The 2016 Young Worker Leadership Academy took place January 28-30. Twenty-eight youth participated this year, including five students that returned as youth mentors. Through their participation, they learned how to plan and implement activities to promote education for youth on their workplace rights and ways to advocate for job safety. Five teams completed their community action projects, described below.

College Bound Today (Montebello, CA)

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  • The team created a Prezi presentation that focused on young worker rights and safety issues that were highlighted at the Young Worker Leadership Academy.
  • The team presented to the College Bound Today organization at a monthly meeting.
  • In the future, College Bound Today would like to form a partnership with the ROP Career Center in an effort to incorporate health and safety elements into work permit classes.
  • Together, they reached approximately 63 youth and 16 adults.

 

“The Academy allowed me to connect with other teens who shared their own ideas and perspectives on the many topics we covered.”

Invest In Me (Patterson, CA)

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  • The team held an informational resource booth at an Invest In Me community event. They shared the “Are you a working teen” factsheet and what they learned at the Young Worker Leadership Academy.
  • In order to keep the audience engaged the team created and played spin the wheel and highlighted health and safety issues.
  • In the future, Invest in Me would like to consider partnering with the chamber to host an annual event or activity focused on teen health and safety at the workplace.
  • Together, they reached approximately 68 youth and 23 adults.

 

“YWLA taught me that there are many dangers in the workplace. I learned that just because someone does something the easy way and it works, it doesn’t mean it’s the best way.”

John R. Wooden High School (Reseda, CA)

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  • The team held an informational booth at the North West Fest where 150 schools come together and present their community projects.
  • The team shared the “Are you a working teen?” factsheet while talking to the community about resources available to young workers.
  • In the Fall, John R. Wooden plans to host a mini-YWLA for students from 11 continuation schools in the area. The team plans to host the event at the LAUSD offices.
  • Approximately, 2,000 people attended the festival.

 

“Experiences like this are hard to come by, so when I heard about how much fun YWLA was, I had to take the opportunity.”

Teens Lead @ Work (Berkeley, CA)

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  • The team created a street survey video by the name of ‘What Do Teens Know?” The team created a series of questions focused on testing the average teens knowledge of teen worker rights.
  • Once the teens were interviewed, the team compiled the clips onto separate videos to bring awareness to these issues.
  • The team shared their video clips on social media and during their trainings. Together, they reached approximately 50 youth.

 

“We learned teens don’t know enough about their rights or the laws and agencies that protect them.”

Youth Connections (Santa Rosa, CA)

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  • The team created a Facebook page by the name of “Youth Connections: Project Job Safety.” The team will use this platform to highlight issues concerning health and safety on the job.
  •  The team will relay information using websites with resources for teens and young workers.
  • The Facebook page will continue to be managed by the current team and withing a year it will be manged by a new Youth Connections group.
  • Together, they reached approximately 50 youth and 15 adults and are continuing to reach more youth by keeping their Facebook page active.

 

“Attending YWLA was a great eye opening experience.”