Read about the creative ways youth around the country have used their time, talent, and treasure to make a real difference.

Find materials here specifically for YAC meetings, identifying issue area focus, and outreach.

These guides, activities, and stories spark youth service and action for a better world.

These guides teach the knowledge and skills of responsible citizenship to grow agency for using our voices, having critical conversations, and making informed decisions.

Share the language and power of philanthropy with youth of all ages! These resources explore stories of action, define philanthropy, provoke discussion, and develop youth voice and care for the world.

Why do communities want to involve youth of all ages and life experiences as changemakers and leaders? Because we believe youth make us better. Learning to Give and the Council of Michigan Foundations are proud to share the following resources to help organizations welcome youth voice and action. We share best practices for quality and meaningful youth engagement of their time, talent, ties (network), testimony (speaking up), and treasure.

These resources help young people understand their own identity and who they are in relationship to others. Believing in the power of their own voices and actions is an important step in youth engaging responsibly in a diverse and interconnected community. 

To take meaningful philanthropic or civic action in our communities, we must get to know our community resources and needs. These activities help us explore the strengths and issues that make up our community. Understanding your community nonprofits and other resources is an important step in making informed decisions as engaged and justice-oriented citizens. 

We are a global community of diverse stories - past, present, and future. Valuing our communities and sharing our unique stories contribute to a more inclusive world. The following two resources were written by educators and youth facilitators across the country to guide empathy, decision making, community building, and social justice. 

Michigan Programs

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