Youth Leadership Institutes

Building strong youth programming requires the participation of youth – who know very well what will attract and engage other youth.

COA Youth & Family Centers focuses on participant-driven youth empowerment programming during 3-day retreats held at COA’s Camp Helen Brachman in central Wisconsin.  Youth Leadership Institutes engage teens from across Milwaukee to participate in leadership and career-readiness activities which include team-building, project planning, grant writing, and personal development.  YLI gives your youth the tools they need to take a leadership and decision-making role in your agency or school.

 COA began offering the Youth Leadership Institute opportunity in 2001. Partnering agencies that have sent teams of youth participants to the YLI have included: COA’s Goldin Center, COA’s Riverwest Center, The Urban Underground, Agape Community Center, Hmong American Friendship Association, Neighborhood House, Shalom High School, Riverside High School, LGBT Milwaukee, and Violence Free Zone.