Nearly 40 teens from 12 NE Mass communities* attended the Northeast Youth Leadership Institute (NYLI) held July 15-17 2008 at Merrimack College in North Andover. The institute is a program of the Northeast Center for Healthy Communities (NCHC) in partnership with Youth at Risk.

The long term goal of the 3 day, 2 night program is to prepare youth, ages 14-20, to become leaders and inspire positive change in their own communities.

Over 70 students from NE Mass communities applied to participate in the Institute.The youth that were selected reflected the diversity of the region both socioeconomically and culturally. They had to make a serious commitment to applying what they learned to their respective communities.

Youth learned how to work in a team, present to groups, identify their own leadership style, partner with adults on issues, and create their own vision of an ideal community. A piece of the curriculum also focused on the use of a planning tool to tackle issues in their communities.  

Approximately 25 youth from the NYLI are working with “Champions”, adult mentors, in their communities to implement the leadership goals they developed during the Institute. NCHC and YAR are providing technical assistance to the youth and their Champions for a 9-month period.

“It is our hope that their experience at the Institute will live on through their particular passion and the positive change they can make in their respective communities and beyond,” said Doherty.

Darcy, a 16 year old from Danvers commented, “I was inspired by the program to be more active in my community. It was the greatest thing I have ever done.”

The research and planning for the Institute was underwritten by a grant from Comcast. The Institute itself was also funded in part by Comcast, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Trefler Foundation.