Supporting Young Leaders: Insights and Challenges
Author: Ruby Belle Booth
Contributors: Mari German, Alberto Medina, Emmy Woo
In 2024, CIRCLE launched the inaugural Young Leaders Learning Community (YLLC), a yearlong program supporting 12 young people (ages 16-29) who are leading change in their communities. Through skill-building workshops, youth-led trainings, and direct funding for community projects, the YLLC created a space for young leaders to grow their civic impact, connect with one another, and inform CIRCLE’s ongoing research and practice.
Like voting and other forms of civic engagement, youth activism and leadership are shaped by structural barriers, access to resources, and support systems. Programs like the YLLC can help address these inequities by providing funding, training, and a sense of belonging, especially for young people who are often excluded from traditional pathways to leadership.
This report shares key findings from the YLLC’s first year and offers insights for organizations, funders, and practitioners who want to build inclusive, youth-centered programming.
Among our key takeaways:
- Young leaders gained confidence and career-ready skills. Survey data showed growth across all 16 civic and leadership competencies we measured, especially in strategic planning and financial management.
- Community projects had a wide and lasting impact. From voter outreach tools, to local art installations, to intergenerational oral histories, the youth-led projects reached thousands of people and laid the foundation for sustained civic action.
- Relationship-building was critical. Participants expanded their peer networks and connected with mentors and practitioners across sectors, deepening their capacity to lead and collaborate.
- Youth-led sessions and feedback loops increased ownership. The YLLC modelled a more equitable, responsive approach to youth engagement by creating space for participants to lead and shape the program.
- CIRCLE adapted its research through youth input. Young leaders informed our post-election youth poll and helped refine our Youth-Adult Partnership framework, improving the quality and relevance of our work.
We invite educators, funders, and civic organizations to explore the findings and consider how the lessons from the YLLC might inform future youth-focused initiatives.
