Institute

Youth Institute Description

The YMCA of Greater Long Beach Youth Institute is an intensive year-round program of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach Community Development Branch that uses technology as an integral mechanism for promoting positive youth development and enhancing the academic success and career readiness of low-income, culturally diverse urban high school students.

The goals of the program are to increase academic, technology, social and life skills and to develop leadership and job training skills.  Students are recruited strategically so that the project is ethnically and gender diverse. The rationale behind this is to prepare students to become successful team players in our increasingly diverse workplaces, colleges and communities.  The program is divided into two major components, the year round high school after school program and the intensive summer program. Students go through an intensive (35 hrs/wk) summer program where they develop their project-based learning and leadership skills along with their technology skills. They than graduate from the summer program and attend the after school program during their school year where they have unlimited access to the latest technologies, get academic assistance, get emotional support, do paid projects, are involved in community service, and become leaders within their communities through numerous leadership opportunities throughout the year.

Digital Arts Component

Youth Institute students are taught digital arts/moviemaking, graphic design, word and data processing, computer networking, digital presentation, digital music and web design.  After they graduate from the “Summer Institute,” they become alumni and continue honing their technology and academic skills in our computer lab every day after school (25 hrs/week).  Access to the computer lab is critical since most of the students do not have computers at home or good access in the schools (the ratio of computers to students in most low-income schools is 1:13).  In addition, the Youth Institute offers consistently updated software, normally not available in schools. Youth Institute staff helps students prepare for SAT exams, assists them in completing college applications and directs them toward financial assistance.

Service Learning Component

Alumni are expected to take on service learning responsibilities to tutor younger students in the elementary schools on the technology skills they have mastered. They also do technology projects for other nonprofit agencies. These activities provide alumni with important hands-on learning experiences.  Students have the opportunity to go on field trips to companies such as Apple Computer and Pixar to present their program and learn more about the business world.  Students also do community internships.  For some students, the Youth Institute offers paid internships that involve peer teaching, making promotional movies for nonprofits, teaching computer classes to parents, and much more.  Students are civically engaged as youth leaders in the community working with groups such as the Youth Philanthropy Board and the Long Beach Youth Commission for the First and Second City Council Districts.

Program Evaluation

The program evaluation is done by California State University Department of Social Work headed by Dr. Julie O’Donnell, Professor of Social Work and Director of Research for the Child Welfare Training Center.  The evaluation uses both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Students have shared gains in social / leadership skills, technology skills, written and oral communication, diversity and improved grades.

9 Principles of the Youth Institute