Raising young people to become good citizens doesn't happen by chance. Just like we teach children to brush their teeth, eat healthy foods, exercise their bodies and get enough sleep, we also need to help them develop the knowledge, skills and motivation to participate in civic life.

Research shows that when young people are engaged with civic activity early and in meaningful ways, they are far more likely to remain engaged in the future. We offer year-round opportunities for young people to participate in both low- and high-intensity civic programs. And we design our programs using three key values:

**We invite young people to take part in authentic democratic activities that allow them to learn civics by doing civics.

**We offer tools and experiences that allow young people to explore and discuss important, sometimes divisive, topics with a goal of increasing tolerance and empathy.

**We clear a path for young people to develop and use their voice to take action on issues that matter to them.

At the YMCA Center for Youth Voice, we believe that youth voice and participation matter, and that our communities are stronger when young people see themselves as valued and invested stakeholders.