Service Opportunities and Grants from YSA

Here are some opps you may be interested in!
Jen

1) ServiceVote Launches
ServiceVote, a program of Youth Service America, is proud to announce the launch of a new, interactive website that will serve as a hub for young people to engage in every aspect of the ’08 election. The ServiceVote website provides young people with up-to-date news & information on the various races, the presidential candidates, and the defining issues; opportunities for peer interaction & dialogue through a discussion forum where youth can post videos, images, and audio files; and resources to take action through service, in the election, and in the policy process.
At ServiceVote, look for YSA’s Nine for 09: The Nine Ways for the Next President to Strengthen Youth Service When Taking Office in 2009. (http://www.servicevote.org/images/nine%20for%20%2709%20memo.pdf) The site will be continually updated throughout 2008 with new information, tools & resources, so visit www.servicevote.org now and check back often!

2) The American Young Ambassadors Program
August 4-17, 2008 in Beijing, China
The American Young Ambassadors Program, Ltd. is an unprecedented global leadership program for 25-30 exceptional high school students, ages 15-18, recognized for the work they have accomplished in their communities. The youth selected for this program are of significant accomplishment academically, athletically or through public service efforts in their community. They will represent the United States as Young Ambassadors-at-large at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. By combining the dynamics of leadership, service and learning, the American Young Ambassadors put forth to the world this country’s greatest asset – our youth.
All applicants must be US citizens. The deadline to apply is March 3, 2008. To learn more about this program and to apply online, visit www.ysa.org/awards.

For program-specific questions, email AYAL at Slerner@AmericanYoungAmbassadors.com or Lfederer@americanyoungambassadors.com . For technical questions specific to the nomination form or the nomination process ONLY, email AYAL@ysa.org.
This is a program of the American Young Ambassadors Program, Ltd. (AYAL) with support from ArcaMax Publishing, the New York Film Academy, USA Freedom Corps and Youth Service America

4) YouthPower Grant 2007 Grantees Announced
The list of grantees and project descriptions is now available at http://ysa.org/AwardsGrants/ListsofGrantees/YouthPowergrantees2008/tabid/266/Default.aspx. These grants support youth-led projects that engage youth in foster care in service to their communities.

5) Youth at the Center Grantees
Funded by the Department of Justice OJJDP, the Youth at the Center grants help organizations that have had a successful youth engagement experience to replicate effective practices to organizations in a broader network or coalition without a youth strategy. Successful applicants plan to involve youth in addressing the world’s most pressing social issues and will use Global Youth Service Day 2008 and 2009 as a primary vehicle to engage youth in the issue addressed.

1.) The American Red Cross, Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter located in West Palm Beach, Florida plans to focus on the topics of leadership, group dynamics, diversity, communication skills, self-awareness, and peer pressure by using their 20-member Youth Council and a network of Red Cross school clubs to act as counselors, instructors, and staff to other chapters of the Red Cross as they develop their organizations. The Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter has plans to develop a Regional Youth Council to include youth from seven counties and it has a project structured around malaria awareness for GYSD 2008.

2.) The Omaha Zoological Society in Omaha, Nebraska will work with the Nebraska Park System to develop a statewide youth volunteer group called the Junior Master Naturalist. Funding will help develop and initiate a model to implement in the state of Nebraska and reach out to zoos and aquariums, nature centers, and botanical gardens in the United States through publishing GYSD experiences in national volunteer association journals and the Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) journal.

3.) The Idaho Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health in Boise, Idaho plans to continue its efforts towards refining its Idaho Youth Council to educate other groups in Idaho about the emotional, behavioral, and mental health issues of today’s youth. They plan to provide a youth workshop on how to “unite and fight” stigma as well as prepare a presentation for the 2008 Idaho Youth National Conference. Idaho youth representing the seven mental health councils in the state will develop a workshop for GYSD 2008 and will focus on encouraging sustainable communication on mental health issues across Idaho.

4.) The Youth Leadership Academy, Project Safe Neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina will focus on the harmful affects of gang involvement. It plans to organize a 2008 Youth Gang Forum to reach a large audience across North Carolina. This forum will train youth to prepare them to organize and lead youth gang forums in their communities.

5.) Careers in Aviation in Palm Coast, Florida provides educational tools for youth to explore the wide variety of opportunities in aviation. Funding will go towards developing their student volunteer mentor program and creating four Careers in Aviation seminars and workshops for younger youth.