YLI has played a central role in The California Endowment's (TCE) Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative. TCE has identified Southwest Fresno (also referred to as “The Place”) along with 13 other communities throughout California as partners in the 10-year BHC initiative. Five YLI youth leaders from The Place have joined youth leaders from local youth organizations to form the Youth Engagement Team (YET).
Currently, the YET is mobilized around the issue of educational equity and is actively working on the SUCCESS campaign (Students United to Create a Climate of Engagement, Support, and Safety) to promote and implement alternatives to zero tolerance policies in Fresno Unified School District. In February and March 2011, the YET team received a series of 3 Youth Action Research trainings on focus groups. Youth acquired skills in data analysis, facilitation, and protocol development. By the end of the series youth developed a Focus Group Interview guide/protocol for the purpose of leading youth focus groups around school climate and implementation of school discipline policies.
Currently, the YET is mobilized around the issue of educational equity and is actively working on the SUCCESS campaign (Students United to Create a Climate of Engagement, Support, and Safety) to promote and implement alternatives to zero tolerance policies in Fresno Unified School District. In February and March 2011, the YET team received a series of 3 Youth Action Research trainings on focus groups. Youth acquired skills in data analysis, facilitation, and protocol development. By the end of the series youth developed a Focus Group Interview guide/protocol for the purpose of leading youth focus groups around school climate and implementation of school discipline policies.
