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.
Our program utilizes three main strategies:
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 current challenges of the San Francisco Estuary and encourage them to collaborate with adults in the design, delivery, and evaluation of 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 will open in April 2025!
Please check back for more information.
