Project VOYCE's Youth Programs
After-school and summer programming is the centerpiece to achieving our mission to develop transformative youth leaders. At Project VOYCE, we believe that youth must be engaged as equitable partners in their own development and the development of their communities. We do this through our innovative youth co-designed curriculum and programming. Our curriculum and facilitation focus on three key areas, each rooted in healing justice, allowing us to partner with youth (14-24) in their own development into transformational leaders in their schools, communities, and beyond.
Project VOYCE offers dynamic programming that prepares youth to become culturally aware leaders and effective advocates for social change. Our curriculum includes transformative development activities that enhance understanding of self and community through co-designed media-making and critical media literacy focused on identity development. Participants also gain leadership skills by navigating youth-adult dynamics and developing personal presentation personas, enhancing their capacity to lead with confidence in community and social issues.
A unique characteristic of our organization, and an example of how adults can partner with youth, involves providing stipends for youth participants rather than charging an enrollment fee to support and encourage ongoing leadership development. A pervasive myth is that all youth have equal access to “free time,” which disguises the economic burdens often shouldered by Black, Indigenous, and other young people of color and other historically marginalized youth and communities.
