Youth Voice Spring Summit 2025
Thank you to the Oregon State Capitol Foundation for their support of this years Youth Voice Summit to help build civic engagement across the state. We are excited to be combining our Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year participants with partner organizations to elevate youth voices and engagement in their community.
Youth, civic organization representatives, and partners from around Oregon will come together to build knowledge, skills, and motivation to engage in civic activities, fostering a sense of community responsibility and active participation in local governance. The event will include:
- Facilitated discussion time for issues of importance to teens, supporting connection with peers and professionals
- Building an understanding of Civic Engagement, including tour of the Capitol to see legislative process in action
- Brainstorming and discussing strategies and opportunities for making their voice heard
This summit is designed to help youth build their own skills for success while amplifying youth voices to Oregon leaders. We will provide time and space for civic minded youth to discuss issues of importance while connecting with peers and professionals. For those youth who are interested, they will have an opportunity to share their stories and requests for action with legislators directly.
Prior to Event:
We will ask youth to be registered by March 21st and join a webinar the first week of April to review event expectations and introduction of civic engagement. Program staff or adult chaperone may Register Youth HERE . Share this flyer to invite youth.
During the Event:
Youth will be gathering in Salem and walking to the Oregon State Capitol building. They will tour open spaces and hear more about the legislative process that happens in the building. Youth will have an opportunity to visit the offices of their own elected officials and share more about why they chose to visit the Capitol. The afternoon will be spent allowing youth to discuss challenges and issues impacting their lives and what role legislative action might play in helping develop the solutions they want to see. Our tentative agenda is below:
10am Welcome
10:30am Presentation & Discussion
11:30am Capitol Tour, Lunch and legislator meetings
2pm Issue Topic Conversations
3pm Wrap Up Presentations & Interviews
Oregon Teen Leadership Summit 2024
The Oregon Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs represents 47 Club Sites, serving over 40,100 youth annually through programs and community outreach. We work collectively and collaboratively toward a better Oregon, committed to coming together to host a statewide Teen Leadership Summit with a focus on building community through engaging and relevant topics most important to teens.
The first annual Summit is an opportunity to bring together young people and staff who work with them for an inspiring day of connection teens are looking for. Teens will be challenged to Think Big as they explore their personal power and are guided through several topics of interest identified by teens, such as: Mental Health & Self Care, Substance Use, Financial Literacy, Career Readiness, and Leadership development.
We are excited to bring keynote speaker, Tyler Monk from Underdog Mentality to share his inspirational story to life as he encourages youth to action during our opening session facilitated by our Emcee, Betzy Gascar, Oregon’s 2024 Youth of the Year.
During youth workshops, teen staff from around the state engaged with leaders from Boys & Girls Club of America in facilitated workshops focused on strategies for engagement, recruitment and retention.
Thanks to the Ford Family Foundation for their generous support of our inaugural Teen Leadership Summit in Oregon. We look forward to growing this event as we build teen engagement in Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the state, helping equip, engage and inspire our next generation toward their Great Futures!
Creating Memories & Wearable Art
