Youth Leadership Program

IMPORTANT INFORMATION for parents and caregivers of 2012 participants.

The Youth Leadership Diploma (YLD) program provides an exceptional experience for youth of a range of ages, backgrounds and talents. This program builds on and formalizes the many years of internship opportunities for teens that have been a vital part of Kids in the Spotlight and Teens Alive. The YLD program offers youth the possibility of meaningful volunteer hours to satisfy high school graduation requirements; opportunities for a positive working experience; support for moving into paid employment (including references); and a way to demonstrate extracurricular or volunteer experience that is valuable in applying for university or other post-secondary education. Teens with YLD program experience may take their skills onwards into adult leadership.

1. Youth Intern Level

At the Youth Intern Level the teen will:

• Be at least age 13 for the Kids in the Spotlight (KITS) internship and at least 15 for internship in Teens Alive (TA).
• If interning in TA, have completed both TA I and II as a participant.

The application process involves an application form (signed by both youth and guardian), an interview (with both the youth and the guardian for those under age 17) with Denise Goldbeck, leader of KITS or David Raithby or Linda Nicholls, leaders of Teens Alive, and payment of an application fee to cover processing and administration costs.

Download the application form here: pdf

Note that all interns attend a Youth Intern Training Workshop each year they are in the internship program. There is a fee for this workshop.

The dates for the Youth Intern Training in 2011 are July 2-5. For more information about Youth Intern Training, please contact the registrar at 1-877-247-9238 ext.234 or by email.

Students at this level intern in at least one KITS program (five days) or one TA I and one TA II program (six days), in which they work on communication skills, self responsibility, boundaries, support of others, and initiative.

Youth Interns …

• Pay the full tuition fee, as if they were participants in KITS or TA.
• Pay the full fee for accommodation and meals (and if under 15 usually stay with their parents/guardians).

2. Volunteer level

Teens must have the skills of the Youth Intern level to become a Volunteer. They work on communication, group leading, self reflection, and initiative. New tasks are performed that open up new possibilities in their lives. Teens learn responsible attitudes and behaviours that support good employment habits, and conflict management. Overall, teens gain a profound understanding of personal process in terms of the challenges of human development and identity.

• Volunteers pay for accommodation and meals and usually live in the intern accommodations.

A Volunteer Certificate may be issued after a minimum of completion of two Youth Intern Training Workshops plus two internships (i.e. two five-day programs of KITS or two six-day programs of TA I and II). Issuance of the Volunteer Certificate includes a reference letter, description of the program, a record of the volunteer hours performed, and completion of forms (provided by the student) to satisfy requirements of their school for volunteer hours.p>

3. Apprentice Level

To become an Apprentice the student must have good understanding of their personal process, have the skills of the Volunteer level, and have the approval of the instructor (Denise Goldbeck for KITS, David Raithby/Linda Nicholls for TA).

An Apprentice takes on tasks teaching and training the Volunteers and Youth Interns and works on skills such as leading group, communication, conflict resolution, relationships, empathy, embodiment, and self-compassion, while exploring and developing his or her own identity.

Apprentices ...

• Do not pay tuition for KITS or TA.
• Do not pay room and board and live in intern accommodation.

4. Graduation

The key competencies and values taught in the Youth Leadership Diploma program are passion, compassion, communication, self-awareness, self-responsibility, empathy, and embodiment of the self.

In addition to the specific requirements of the Apprentice level, to complete the Diploma the student must have:

• A minimum of four Youth Intern Training Workshops.
• Internship in at least four programs (one program is five days of KITS, six days of TA I and II).
• The key competencies described above plus the following, demonstrated over time: a good understanding of their own process and ability to describe other processes; ability to lead a small group for short periods; responsibility in his/her actions, communication with others, and consideration of others.

5. Assistantship

Assistants are those youth who have graduated from the Youth Leadership Diploma program. They may assist at TA or KITS, in which case they:

• Must attend one Youth Intern Workshop each year (free tuition).
• Pay no room or board.
• Are given a set dollar amount.
• Are eligible for subsidy to participate in Teens Alive or Come Alive.