Community members are often the experts in identifying existing conditions, environmental hazards pathways, relevant land use and business practices that can potentially affect public health. MYA uses this wealth of knowledge to train community members with effective strategies to mitigate conditions experienced daily and advocate for policies designed to improve the quality of life in their communities.
Through Green Futures for Urban Youth, MYA program graduates and other dedicated high school students use their training and experience at MYA as well as their own peer voices and concerns to inform and guide the city planning process of local cities in the East Bay. Youth leaders collaborate with local governmental, environmental, health and social agencies to conduct research, analyze and disseminate their findings, and make recommendations on how to address the impact of built environments on vital natural resources in urban areas and beyond. Youth leaders also work to ensure that the concerns of their peers are voiced and that their salient and uniquely informed thoughts and ideas for sustainability are given the forum and consideration they deserve in community revitalization efforts.
Program Participants are trained to:
- Promote youth economic development through advocacy of green businesses committed to job training and employment opportunities for youth through a regionally coordinated effort
- Conduct policy analysis and prepare recommendations to ensure cultural and ecological preservation and equity and present findings at community meetings and public forums
- Coordinate community service learning projects such as neighborhood survey conducted by youth to document needs identified by community residents for programs, community resources, eg. open space, clothing stores and health care facilities
- Perform watershed management though riparian and coastal conservation and restoration
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