Engaging Youth, Serving Community (EYSC5) Initiative

Although rural communities are as vulnerable to social ills (i.e., crime, drugs) as many urban localities, they often have limited opportunities for young people to engage in meaningful roles as community leaders. Youth have the perception that there is «nothing to do", which negates the motivation to seek opportunities. Hence, when there are things to be done, there is the challenge of getting supportive adults to serve as role models. This project will focus on existing community projects that have had success in demonstrating youth leadership at the local level. It will focus on targeting those youth with limited experience as community partners to give them an opportunity to further develop their leadership skills. An additional facet of the project will address getting more adults involved in the projects and ultimately encouraging youth participants to become involved in additional community endeavors. The project will also examine how youth have increased their community involvement and their perceived experiences as community leaders.