November 25, 2019: A new wave of regional leaders is emerging as Pro Youth and Families and SACOG continue the Youth Leadership Academy for a second year.  

The Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) started in 2018 to connect the region’s youth with opportunities to engage with their regional leaders, gain leadership skills, learn about the government process at various levels, and begin to create a pipeline for public sector careers and opportunities. The YLA aims to bridge the gap between those who are making decisions today and those who will most greatly feel the impacts of those decisions in the future.  

On November 14 the YLA welcomed a new cohort of more than 30 students and their families for a meet-and-greet with the program coordinators to learn about the program and hear from past participants. Students, parents, and staff gathered at Solomon’s Deli along with program sponsors to look ahead to what the program will bring. 

The program will officially begin on January 25, 2020 with a training focused on Government 101. Students will learn the basics of local, regional, state, and federal government and what that means for the people living in the Sacramento region. Additional sessions will focus on planning and community development; transportation and economic development; advocacy and design thinking; careers in regional planning, and professional development. Students will meet once a month with five sessions focused on the topics and the sixth and final session will be graduation in June. The sessions in the last year featured local staff, congress and assembly members, and featured fieldtrips to local amenities.   

For questions about the program, please contact Rosie Ramos at rramos@sacog.org.