Neighbor News
YouthBuild North Shore Students Represent Local Opportunity Youth in Washington, D.C.
YouthBuild North Shore students joined more than 100 other YouthBuild USA delegates in Washington, D.C. this past month.
Salem, MA — YouthBuild North Shore students joined more than 100 other YouthBuild USA delegates in Washington, D.C. to discuss the impact of YouthBuild on them as low-income young adults and on their communities. Scott Dyer and Luis Santiago have just returned from participating in both the 28 Leaders and the YouthBuild USA Capitol Hill Day.
Delegates are chosen by their fellow students in local YouthBuild programs. In addition to skill building workshops, the conference also includes the annual elections for the Young Leaders Council, a nationally elected body of students and graduates that serves as the national policy-making voice for current students in the YouthBuild movement.
After the YouthBuild USA AmeriCorps Conference of Young Leaders, Dyer and Santiago participated in YouthBuild USA’s Capitol Hill Day, and met with Senator Edward J. Markey and Senator Elizabeth Warren to communicate the positive change YouthBuild Program brings to their communities and to discuss the value and importance of continued funding to support YouthBuild programs locally and nationwide. Senator Elizabeth Warren later joined the delegates for a keynote luncheon on Capitol Hill.
“Our delegates’ visit to Washington is just one step in a long leadership development process facilitated by YouthBuild USA,” said Dorothy Stoneman, Founder and CEO of YouthBuild USA, Inc. “As we see in our annual elections for the Young Leaders Council, our programs across the country are full of talented young people who are working towards long-term community and national leadership roles. These young people reflect the positive change we continue to bring to communities nationwide.”
“YouthBuild North Shore is committed to impacting the lives of underserved, opportunity youth throughout the North Shore, through meaningful education, hands-on construction training, and the tools to become better leaders in their community. The Conference of Young Leaders was a great opportunity to help our members work toward building on their leadership skills and serving as advocates for their program and community” said Felicia Pierce, YouthBuild North Shore Program Director.
The Conference of Young Leaders was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to network with YouthBuild Students across the nation and learn more about how to be a leader in my community and meet elected officials and share my YouthBuild experience” said, Scott Dyer YouthBuild North Shore member.
In addition to the series of workshops and Young Leaders Council elections, the Conference of Young Leaders agenda includes a Service Job Shadowing Day, during which the delegates will shadow employees at the Architect of the Capitol, as an example of the ways YouthBuild’s model and construction skills can be put to use in the public service sector.
YouthBuild North Shore is one of 260 local programs around the country serving low-income young people ages 16 to 24. In YouthBuild programs like YouthBuild North Shore, unemployed, undereducated and out-of-school young adults work toward their GED or high school diploma, while learning job skills by building affordable housing and other community assets in their neighborhoods and engaging in community service and leadership training. Graduates leave prepared for success in postsecondary education, careers, and registered apprenticeships— and as a part of a strong and supportive community.
To learn more about YouthBuild North Shore and how you can get involved with the program, please contact YouthBuild North Shore Program Director’s Felicia Pierce at Felicia@northshorecdc.org.
