Join us for training on community organizing for youth activists!
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You’re invited to YCD’s PowerUp! Community Organizing for Youth Activists training, taking place on Saturday, September 20, 2025!
This unique training is for youth who want to learn the skills needed to be an effective changemaker in their community. Whether you participate in a diversity club, GSA, affinity group or student council, this is the perfect training to build your power squad, organize an effective and positive community of peers, and gain the skills you need to take on an action project. You’ll also meet youth from other parts of Colorado doing similar work. Sign up today before this training reaches capacity!
Who Should Attend
This training is meant for high school students, as well as their adult mentors. If we have room, we are also happy to welcome adult mentors of middle school chapters.
Note you do not need to be an elected leader to attend! Even if you are not currently a leader in your group, you are welcome to participate and learn the skills you’ll need to lead in the future! You also do not need to be part of an existing group; come to this training to learn how to create a YCD chapter from scratch.
Historically, we have hosted two student leaders and two adult mentors per chapter/group at this training. If you have more students in positions of leadership, contact us to discuss bringing a larger group to the event.
Venue and Directions
PowerUp! will be hosted by the University of Denver in Sturm Hall, which is located south of Asbury Avenue between University and High Street in Denver. Get directions on Google Maps.
Parking fees at the University of Denver will be covered by YCD as part of the training.
Schedule
Below is an overview of the schedule for PowerUp!. Click on any timeslot to expand and learn more about that portion of the day. You can also download a printable version of the day’s schedule here.
Arrival and Parking / 9:30 – 10:00 am
We have purposefully planned for this Bootcamp to start later in the day to allow for participants from across Colorado enough time to drive in the morning. Parking will be free for participants (covered by YCD!) on the University of Denver’s campus; specific details will be shared at a later date closer to the event.
Breakfast / 9:30 – 10:00 am
A free, light continental breakfast of bagels, muffins, fruit and yogurt will be available for everyone.
Power Up Toolkit: Activism Throughout the Year / 10:00 – 10:40 am
We’ll kick of the event by grounding ourselves in our purpose and why working for inclusion and justice is important to each of us. We’ll also do some activities for participants to get to know each other and make bonds with other youth working for inclusion and justice across Colorado!
Workshop A / 10:50 – 11:40 am
Each attendee will go to a series of three workshops, each of them being 50 minutes:
- Community Organizing: The Power within Relationships
- Creating Your Power Squad
- Stepping into and Sharing Your Power: Skills for Facilitation
Workshop B / 11:45 am – 12:35 pm
Everyone attends a second workshop. See Workshop A for the list of topics.
Lunch / 12:35 – 1:15 pm
A free lunch will be provided for all attendees! We take special precautions for anyone with a dietary restriction.
Workshop C / 1:15 – 2:05 pm
Everyone attends a third workshop. See Workshop A for the list of topics.
Power Your Language and Actions: Becoming an Inclusive Youth Activist / 2:10 – 3:25 pm
Understand how systems of power and oppression affect your activism through hands-on scenarios.
Power Forward: Next Steps / 3:30 – 4:30 pm
After a day of training and discussions, we’ll reconvene as a large group to reflect on what we’ve learned and make plans for the future. We’ll also have Q&A with each of our presenters. You will leave this training ready to take your youth-led club or group to the next level!
Workshops
Power Up! will focus on community organizing, community building, and facilitating. We will also explore how to be an inclusive leader through scenarios on topics ranging from being an upstander to microagressions. You’ll have time to plan for your year both logistics and content. We’ll have follow up sessions either in the form of asynchronous videos and/or virtual gatherings to go deeper into consensus building, conflict resolution, strategic planning and more. Whether you are a veteran leader of your club or taking a leadership role for the first time, we’ll make sure the material meets you where you are on your leadership journey.
Community Organizing: The Power within Relationships
Creating and leading a group starts with understanding yourself and what brings you to this work, and then building authentic relationships with others. This workshop will help you understand how to build relationships to bring people together for a common cause.
Creating Your Power Squad
Once you’ve created your group, it’s time to build a sense of inclusion and belonging so that everyone wants to remain engaged. This workshop leverages icebreakers and other tools to help you learn how to deepen relationships with your group members.
Stepping into and Sharing Your Power: Skills for Facilitation
Managing conversations with a group of peers can be challenging, but we provide the tools, strategies, and practice so that you can become an effective facilitator for challenging discussions.
Cost
This training is being offered free of charge for all youth and adult mentors of YCD chapters thanks a generous grant from The Colorado Health Foundation, as well as support from the University of Denver! If your club or group is not yet a registered YCD chapter, learn more and sign up below.
High school-aged youth and adult mentors may attend without registering as a YCD chapter for $30/person. However we encourage groups to register as a chapter, which brings significant benefits at a lower cost. Contact us to discuss or with questions.
Flyer
Download a flyer to spread the word about PowerUp! in your community.
Registration
Groups
Established youth clubs and groups are encouraged to register as a chapter of YCD, which includes attendance at PowerUp! as part of their annual membership, in addition to numerous other benefits!
Individuals
If you are ready to sign up for your spot at the Bootcamp, use the button below!
Contact
Amy Atkins
Program Manager – YCD Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
(720) 509-9334
aatkins@ycdiversity.org