BPD- Youth Leading the way

For the past 11 years, I have worked with the youth population throughout the city of Boston. I observed a need for programming for at risk youth centered around teaching them leadership skills and incorporating mentorship as a key component. Youth Leading the Way is a youth leadership program that focuses on empowering youth ages 15-18, during the school year and throughout the summer, by providing them with the tools needed to have a successful future. YLW participates in leadership workshops, professional development workshops, social media management, coordinates youth-lead round table discussions and youth police dialogues, and coordinates intergenerational programming with the senior population. During the summer, YLW Youth Leaders will attend the Boston Police Teen Police Academy, coordinate community events, and participate in programming as mentioned above. In addition, Youth Leaders will also attend college tours, participate in career readiness workshops such as resume writing and mock interview, leadership workshops, and effective communication.

The objective of YLW is to empower youth by exposing them to different experiences centered on teaching them leadership skills, professional development skills, and creating a pathway to having a successful life

Peer Leader Qualifications: A person that is passionate about being a part of the change they want to see in their community. Candidate must have an interest in exploring new experiences. Candidate must have good communication skills, take the initiative when completing tasks, have a positive attitude, and work with others as a team. Having an interest in law enforcement is not mandatory, however the job is operated by Boston Police Officers and the summer program is located Teen Police Academy is located at the Boston Police Academy, therefore it is important for the candidate to be comfortable with working in a Law Enforcement environment.