Community Connections - 2024-25 (English) - 21

Youth Leadership Academy
Cultivates Future Leaders
W
orkforce Boulder County (WfBC)
partnered with Community Action
Programs (CAP) to co-develop
programming focused on Black, Indigenous,
People of Color (BIPOC) youth that helps
pave the way to different job markets and
educational opportunities. The young adult
program was designed to cultivate future
leaders and entrepreneurs from underrepresented
backgrounds, creating a pipeline
of diverse talent that will shift the culture
within a variety of sectors across Boulder
County. Young Leaders Academy (YLA)
incorporated a cohort-based programming
model, which included a six-week-long
Leadership Empowerment Series of workshops
on leadership, financial wellness,
and career development. Participants had
three paid " pathways " or tracks available to
them: work-based learning, occupational
skills training, and high school equivalency
attainment. YLA goals were to connect
BIPOC youth to education, training, mentoring,
and paid employment opportunities,
while helping them understand how to
advocate for themselves and create a path
to socioeconomic mobility.
The Youth Leadership
Academy was
awarded the 2022
NACo Achievement
Award and chosen
as the year's Children
and Youth Best in
Category winner.
My major is in finance and information management, but I would say
that YLA helped me become a better leader by identifying implicit bias and
by knowing the importance of establishing an intersectional culture as it
leads to further innovation. I think that it is crucial to identify, respect, and
cherish everyone's identity for who they are, as it could increase engagement
in work/leaning environments. But I wouldn't have thought about this if
it wasn't for this program.
- Jesus Soto-Balzan
I am majoring in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Social
Emotional Learning at the University of Portland. I was part of the first cohort in
YLA back in March of 2021. YLA, leadership has been such a great experience.
Since then, I've finished my first year of college as a first-generation student. I
went through the ups and downs that college is and overall had a successful
year of learning and growing. This past summer I've been working as a camp
counselor and a lifeguard. I am so thankful for having these experiences. I've
loved being able to work with kids, parents, and an incredible staff. As summer
quickly ends, I am preparing to take on leadership opportunities on campus. As
this next academic school year, I will be an FGEN ambassador! I am so excited
for the fall semester to start as I count the 27 days left until school begins.
- Haniel Morquecho Beltran
21
Community Connections - 2024-25 (English)

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