YLX Youth in Action

Focus: Participants will form a mini-foundation to fund an organization that falls within their desired mission statement - then spend the spring raising financial support from local donors.

Eligibility:
• high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
• no GPA minimum

Spots: up to 48

Time Commitment:
• Seven (7) monthly sessions [Sept - Apr]
• Opening Retreat - mandatory [Sept]
• YLX Conclave [early Dec]
• YLX Graduation [early May]

Location: each month, a different OKC area business/organization will host our session

Skills attained:
• meeting management
• identify community needs
• reviewing grant applications
• healthy debate
• communication and compromise
• donor relations
• fund raising/how to “ask” for money
• … and more!

What is Youth in Action?

Youth in Action is a program of the Youth Leadership Exchange where students learn about the philanthropic process and work to make a difference in their community. Over the year students will learn how to write a mission statement, review grant applications, and make fundraising pitches to award a grant to a local nonprofit organization. Since the beginning of the program in 2000, students have raised over $300,000 for 30 unique organizations in the OKC metro area.

When are Youth in Action class days?

The one-day class sessions are September through April, generally on the second Tuesday of the month (though some class dates vary).  The Opening Retreat in September is required, and graduation happens in May.  Regular class day sessions usually run from 8:00a to 2:30p (except for the Opening Retreat and Personal Leadership Skills Day which run from 8a-4p).

What are the goals of the program?

We have three:  learning, experience, and impact.

Learning:  The world of philanthropy - concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to persons in need, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes – is diverse, complex, and exciting. The learning done in Youth in Action is designed to be as experiential as possible.  That means you will learn by doing:  You will go places, see things, role-play, discuss, create models, and participate in activities designed to teach you as much as we can about fundraising and grantmaking. You will also hear from many business and community leaders.  We cannot tell you exactly what they will say.  These leaders are asked to treat you just as they do adult groups.  They are often very forthright, sometimes controversial, always entertaining.  We will ensure that you have plenty of time in the day to discuss what you have seen and heard among yourselves and with program planners.  You won’t agree with everything you hear, and neither will we.  That’s part of learning – to hear from many voices and make up your own mind.  On the flip side, you will be heard by people who haven’t heard from you before, and they will learn as well. Perhaps, at the end of the day, you just might learn something about yourself.

Experience:  Through the Youth in Action program not only will you learn about the process of fundraising and grantmaking – you will DO the process yourself! While key leaders from the funding world and the community will teach you about the process and support you along the way, all the decisions are made by the students in the class. You will dialogue among your classmates to find a shared passion for a need in the community and write a mission statement that will guide your process for the year. From that mission statement you will receive and review grant applications from nonprofits in the community, narrowing them down to a set of finalists. After hearing presentations from the finalists, the students in the class will deliberate and select the organization to receive the Youth in Action grant. That’s when the fun work begins – raising the money! You and your classmates will work together to make phone calls and in-person visits to share about the receiving organization and ask for money to fund the grant. At the end of the year, you will present the final check to the chosen organization!

Impact:   Through the Youth in Action program, you will see how you can make a real-world impact in your community to address issues connected to you and your peers. You will meet with leaders from the nonprofits in your community and visit organizations to see firsthand how the money you raise will affect people in the OKC metro area. Over the span of the Youth in Action program, students have raised over $300,000 for 30 unique organizations in the community.

What happens during a class day?

As with other YLX programs, we use hands-on experience as much as possible to teach.  Each class day focuses on a different part of the philanthropic process. You will have an opportunity to get to know the other students in your class, participate in team-building exercises, and then get into the topic of the day. Community and business leaders share their knowledge and expertise around the part of the process which is the focus of that class and help you engage in doing the actual work. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided throughout the class days which are all packed full of work to be done. At the end of each day, class ends with a caucus, or debrief, to summarize learning from the day, share your experience, write thank you notes to the speakers, and provide additional feedback to volunteers and staff….and of course have fun!

What are the benefits to class members?

Beyond the wide variety of skills you will learn and hands-on experience you will gain, you will engage in class with students from a wide range of high schools from across the city - a major benefit of YLX and allows for a range of learning and networking opportunities not often available to high school students. All the YLX classes are selected with an eye toward gender balance, racial, and cultural diversity. You will also develop contacts and connections with key business and community leaders while seeing firsthand a variety of careers available to you.

Who is eligible to apply?

High school students who will be sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the fall or the home-schooled equivalent are eligible for Youth in Action (and Leadership Skills).  They must attend a school whose district touches Oklahoma County.  Students from both public and private high schools and home schools are eligible.

Who operates this program?

Youth Leadership Exchange operates the Leadership Skills and Youth in Action programs, as well as the Youth Council of Oklahoma City (a partnership with the Oklahoma City Council), under the umbrella of Leadership Oklahoma City.  Adult volunteers -- including city personnel, educators, physicians, attorneys, law enforcement professionals, journalists, and non-profit executives -- plan and implement the program.  If asked, volunteers will provide YLX participants with rides to and from class, so lack of transportation will not be a barrier to participation.

How much does the class cost?

As with all YLX programs, neither class members nor their parents pay tuition or any other cost.

How do I apply?

Applications go live in mid-January and are available online at www.lokc.org/ylx. The completed application includes a permission form from the school administrator and a letter of recommendation from an adult who knows the student well.  Each completed application is read and scored, and from this pool finalists are chosen to be interviewed.  From this group up to 48 students are chosen for Youth in Action. Those chosen must attend the Opening Retreat, and no more than two absences are allowed.  If this could pose a problem, you shouldn't apply.  Sophomore and junior applicants who are not chosen are urged to reapply.

Questions:

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Youth Leadership Exchange Program Director at ylx@lokc.org or 405.463.3340.

Youth in Action
Class Days 2024-25*

All classes: 8:00am - 2:30pm unless otherwise noted

August 20
Orientation | 6:30 pm

September 10
Opening Retreat
(MANDATORY)

October 8
Why Are We Here?

November 12
Who Needs Our help?

December TBD
CONCLAVE

January 14
How Do We Choose?

February 11
How Do We Ask for Money?

March 11
How Are We Doing?

April 8
What’s Next?

May 6 | 6:00 pm
YLX Graduation

*Schedule subject to change