Regional Capacity Building
About the Program
The Estuary Youth Council (EYC) program empowers and supports BIPOC &/ LGBTQ+ youth from marginalized communities in the San Francisco Estuary to become influential leaders in the planning, management, and decision-making of the San Francisco Estuary.
Youth learn about the Estuary through hands-on learning experiences like field trips, are provided with leadership and professional development opportunities that prepare them for environmental planning and management careers, and make a real impact on environmental issues currently faced by the San Francisco Estuary and its communities by working in teams to brainstorm, plan, and complete original capstone projects during the duration of the program.
The EYC Program is hosted by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, who works in close partnership with a Community-Based Organization (CBO) Advisory Committee, consisting of: Mycelium Youth Network, Nuestra Casa, and Restore the Delta. The CBO Advisory Committee works closely with us to plan, design, and evaluate the program. Each CBO partner hosts a small number of youth at their organizations to participate in the EYC program.
What We Do
Experiential learning: We work with scientists, planners, naturalists, and community experts to provide experiential environmental, climate, and civic education opportunities to youth. We believe that connection to the Estuary is important for inspiring future stewards.
Youth development: We involve youth as active agents in the San Francisco Estuary and support them in brainstorming, planning, and implementing a capstone project that addresses real local and regional challenges. We also nurture leadership qualities in youth through mentorship.
Professional development: We provide professional development opportunities to youth through career exploration, skill- and resume-building, and exposure to conferences, summits, and other networking opportunities.
Applications open in April 1, 2025!
Please check back for more information.
2025 EYC Program Details
The 2025 Estuary Youth Council Program is a hybrid program that will run from June 2025 to December 2025.
The program will accept 9 youth aged 17-24 on a 6.5-month program to learn about the San Francisco Estuary, the environmental challenges it faces, and how it impacts its surrounding communities. Youth will go on educational field trips, receive leadership development and professional development opportunities, and work in teams to complete an original capstone project that addresses a current environmental issue facing the San Francisco Estuary and its watershed communities.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the 2025 EYC Program, you must:
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- Be age 17-24;
- Identify as being from Oakland, San Francisco, East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, Bellehaven, Redwood City, or Stockton and the surrounding Delta area;
- Be passionate about environmental issues facing the San Francisco Estuary (ex: climate change, pollution, biodiversity, equitable access to parks & green spaces, environmental justice, disaster recovery, etc.);
- Be able to commit to attend all scheduled Estuary Youth Council activities and events both in-person and online. See the Program Schedule for more details.
Program Schedule
The 2025 EYC Program runs from June to December and involves a monthly in-person group gathering that require in-person participation. These dates are:
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- Wednesday June 18th: In-person event #1
- Wednesday July 9th: In-person event #2
- Tuesday August 5th: In-person event #3
- Saturday September 13: In-person event #4
- Saturday October 4: In-person event #5
- Saturday November 1: In-person event #6
- Thursday December 11: (evening only): In-person event #7
Participants will also be expected to meet, either in-person OR virtually, with their CBO host atleast twice a month. These meetings will typically be 0.5-1 hour, and will be coordinated with participants when they are onboarded.
Lastly, participants are expected to devote individual time towards a capstone project through the duration of the program.
Youth should expect to spend 25-35 hours a month participating in Estuary Youth Council programming and independent work combined.
Payment & Benefits
- $800 monthly stipend for 6.5 months (total of $5200 for completion of program)
- Small group mentorship
- Opportunities to network and meet scientists, naturalists, environmental planners, educators, community changemakers, and other youth passionate about environmental chan ge
- Upon completion of the program, access to the EYC alumni network for peer-to-peer mentorship and future leadership & professional development opportunities
Application Process
Interested applicants should fill out the application form no later than Thursday April 24, 2025. After this date, applications will no longer be accepted.
Applications will be reviewed the last week of April and selected candidates will be invited to a virtual interview in early May.
Final selections will be made no later than May 23, 2025.
FAQ's
What is an “estuary”?
An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water where freshwater from rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean. Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth. The San Francisco Estuary encompasses the San Francisco Bay and the Delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers.
Do I need to be in college to apply?
No; the Estuary Youth Council program team acknowledges that many youth from our target communities face significant barriers to enrolling in an academic institution. We recognize that environmental and social change can be made through many different avenues, including outside of the “traditional” pathway of pursuing a degree.
What is the selection process like?
Youth who are interested need to submit an application via our Google Form, which will open on April 1st and close on April 24th. Our program team will select candidates for a virtual interview based on application competitiveness. Final decisions will be made by late May 2025.
If I missed the application deadline, can I still apply?
Unfortunately, no applications will be accepted past the deadline.
If I have questions, who do I contact?
Please send questions to the program manager, Diana Fu: diana.fu@sfestuary.org.
Alumni Features
