Youth Leadership Program

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

The Youth Leadership Program is a community-based program developed by Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services (HAMHDS) that focuses on building character, social skills, and civic responsibility. The goal of the program is to bolster youth’s success through adolescence and adulthood by strengthening leadership skills and job training. In 2018 two programs were combined and enhanced to meet this goal: Teen Job Prep Program and Youth Ambassadors. The Teen Job Prep Program (TJPP) component is designed for Henrico youth to develop positive vocational attitudes, skills, and behaviors for employment success. Teens participate in an instructional phase of pre-employment training that includes attendance and academic expectations, as well as service-learning. Upon successful completion of the instructional phase, teens are provided a paid 6-week summer job placement. Youth Ambassadors was designed as a complementary program, primarily for Henrico County high school youth, to develop leadership competencies that position them to promote positive change in their communities. Youth Ambassadors are expected to demonstrate an awareness of issues of concern to their communities, show leadership potential, and the ability to plan and implement service-learning activities. The Youth Leadership Program participants have consistently received accolades from community stakeholders.