The Texas State Alliance of YMCAs (Texas YMCA) recently announced a partnership with the Bezos Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth. The collaboration includes a $900,000 grant going toward making the Texas YMCA Youth and Government program more accessible.
The grant was awarded to the state’s office as a part of a $2.9 million investment that also includes youth civic engagement programs in Florida and Kentucky. Each city in Texas with a Youth and Government program will receive an allotted amount of financial support.
“The funding came at a really good time because it allows us to better prepare when we start our programming in the fall,” said Kashala Pope, the executive director of youth leadership and the Houston Texans YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of Greater Houston. “Finding out about the funding at the time we did helps us better prepare for opportunities to expand in the fall. Using this money will really help us grow our program, which is what this money was designed to do.”
Pope noted how the program requires a substantial financial commitment for many families. Instead of using the funding to improve scholarship opportunities, the Y will alleviate the barrier of entry. Because some parents will not accept scholarships, this method of support helps families be a part of the program while maintaining integrity and dignity.
“This funding will ensure we’re able to cast our net wider with the number of young people we’re able to serve and provide equitable access to programming,” explained Pope. “Some parents don’t want anyone to believe they’re not capable of providing for their family. So, this partnership will help us equitably grow the program, and all young people have an opportunity to participate.”
The Value of the Program
Programs like Youth and Government give participants valuable skills they can use whether or not they go into a career in civics. Having the opportunity to see the government work in action and not just learn about it in the classroom can ignite a passion for it.
“The experiences they have is what drives home the importance of programs like Youth and Government,” said Pope. “It’s really cool to see young people invest the time and attention to be great in the government. They gain practical skills but it’s also rewarding to see and hear the relationships that form.”
Providing participants with opportunities to grow in their leadership and passion is a big highlight for Pope. Young adults are often hard to create programming for, but she emphasized how they can flourish when given the chance.
“I think it’s important for us as adults to always keep in mind young people are ready to lead in a lot of different spaces,” said Pope. “Sometimes we need to remember to step out of the way and provide the space for them to do so. Youth and Government is a clear example of what happens when young people raise their voices and have conversations around enacting change in their communities.”
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