Developing Zuni’s future leaders within ZYEP programs is a core element of our mission. Through the following initiatives, ZYEP strives to provide opportunities for Zuni youth ages 15-24 to learn leadership, practice leadership, and teach leadership.
YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
ZYEP’s Youth Advisory Council is a coalition of young people ages 15-24 who want to make a positive difference in their community. ZYEP Youth Advisors provide a voice for their peers and utilize their strengths to mentor the next generation of emerging Zuni leaders. They also advise ZYEP on our programming and organizational direction. Youth Advisors sponsor and present at youth conferences, participate in educational workshops, and take outdoor treks to culturally significant sites throughout the southwest.
See the trip video here: 2020 Grand Canyon Leadership Trip
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
We recognize that youth have tremendous power to contribute to their community when given the chance. ZYEP strives to provide Zuni’s emerging leaders (ages 15-24) opportunities to gain paid work experience in positions that allow them to give back to their community. This includes paid positions as summer camp counselors (20-30 youth per year), athletic coaches (20-30 youth per year), gardening/nutrition leaders (2-4 youth per year), physical activity leaders (2 youth per year), built environment leaders (2 youth per year), and art leaders (2 youth per year). These young people develop their leadership abilities by completing formal training, organizing community meetings, mentoring Zuni youth, and attending and presenting at conferences. Notably, there are far more youth that apply for our paid positions than we can hire due to limited funding. We envision and will work toward a future where every Zuni youth who wants a job will be able to have one. One of ZYEP’s strategic goals is to grow our own leaders; and as we are seeing today, our participants are becoming youth leaders, our youth leaders are becoming ZYEP leadership, and we aim to continue this tradition for not only the benefit of ZYEP, but our entire Zuni community.
