If you will be 18 on the program start date (June 16th), you’re welcome to apply!

You must be between 14 to 18 to join the program. If you turn 14 on or before the program start date (June 16th), then you’re welcome to apply!

YEA is based on learning by doing. That means you will learn new tools, try them out, reflect on what worked, and keep improving, all while working on a real project that you choose.

We encourage you to choose a project that you are already working on with your youth group or on your own, like a campaign, event, program, or issue you want to improve in your school or community. It could also be a new idea you care about and want to turn into action. 

Examples of projects:

• How trash or recycling works at school

• A rule or policy you think is unfair or outdated

• How people are treated because of a disability, race, gender, or identity

• How adults make decisions without listening to young people

The most important thing is that it is something you care about and will spend time working on during and between sessions. You will also redesign and strengthen your project as you learn new tools, so you don’t need to have it all figured out when you apply. If you aren’t sure what project to choose, feel free to reach out to Sarah at [email protected] and we can help you think it through.

Yes. If you already know you will miss one or two sessions, you can still apply. We understand that summer work and activities can be busy and you aren’t always in control of your schedule. At the same time, each YEA session builds on the one before it, so participating in every session is expected. If you do need to miss a session, you’ll be responsible for catching up on the material and checking in with others in the program so you stay on track.

If you know you’ll miss more than two sessions, we recommend waiting to apply to a future cohort when you can participate fully.

Nope! You don’t need a title or an official leadership role to join or benefit from this program.

YEA is for anyone who cares about making things better and wants to learn how to create change. Leadership can look many different ways. You might be organizing something with friends, helping your community, speaking up about an issue you care about, or starting a project at school.

To get the most out of the program, you should be part of a youth group that is supporting you to take action on an issue you care about. This could be a school club, a community group, a youth organizing team, or any group where young people are working together to make change.

This program focuses on creating real results. If you are part of a youth group working on a project to make change, this program helps you move that work forward. You will learn how to spot where your project might be stuck and use practical tools and templates to take it to the next level.

This program focuses on values based leadership and turning ideas into action. You will learn how to consistently lead from values like dignity, compassion, and equity while working through challenges, disagreements, and tough decisions. By the end of the program, you’ll have tools to strengthen your project, support your team, and create lasting change in your community.

We hear you! Life is busy, and many people already have full schedules. While summer can be a busy season, we decided offering this intensive program during the school year would have indeed been too much.

What we have found through experience is that the tools in this program actually save us time. When individuals and groups use these tools, they spend less time repeating the same conversations and more time taking clear, specific action. Instead of getting stuck in confusion, conflict, or self doubt, the framework helps people focus on what really matters and what they plan to do about it.

Creating meaningful change takes practice. Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon, perform music, or give a big speech without preparing, building the skills to lead change also takes time and practice. YEA gives you focused time to grow your leadership and strengthen your toolkit so you can move your project forward with greater clarity and confidence.

Radical Transformational Leadership, or RTL, is a way of learning how to create real change in the world. It was developed by Monica Sharma, a global leader who worked with the United Nations to help people and communities solve big challenges.

RTL teaches practical tools that help people lead with their values and turn ideas into action. In the program, you learn how to use your strengths, work with others, and take steps to improve things that matter to you and your community.

In RTL, the word “radical” does not mean extreme- it means “root.” That means we focus on the root causes of problems, not just the surface issues. The word “transformational” means real change, both within ourselves and in the systems around us.

In Radical Transformational Leadership, leadership means taking thoughtful action to improve things. It is about standing up for values like dignity, compassion, and fairness, and working with others to create better solutions for the future.