Imagine a group of high school students learning about their community’s challenges and actively identifying, discussing, and collaborating to help solve them. That is the focus of Young Voices of Cleveland, a program developed by United Way of Greater Cleveland and offered in partnership with Open Doors Academy at Euclid High School.
During the five-month program, Joshua Landis, Associate Director of Community Philanthropy, and Cariss Turner Smith, Director of Grantmaking & Community Partnerships, will work with about a dozen 10th graders in a monthly series of hands-on lessons to identify issues that impact their communities and the ways that non-profit organizations fund solutions through the grantmaking process.
Students will work together to identify a non-profit organization to support and present a one-time $5,000 grant to their chosen organization in May at United Way of Greater Cleveland’s downtown offices.
Helping the students learn how they can improve their community is a rewarding experience, according to Josh.
“Young Voices is such an important program to teach teens about philanthropy. We have an opportunity to introduce philanthropy to the teens and the idea of loving back on the world,” Josh said. “When I saw the little epiphany in each of them that ‘I might already be doing this’ and that it is not difficult, so hopefully seeing them feed the idea back into their own lives makes this program such a fulfilling opportunity.”
In this video, Jazmine Dowdley, a Program Coordinator with Open Doors Academy, shares the impact the Young Voices program can have on the students at Euclid High School.
In this video, Joshua Landis, Associate Director of Community Philanthropy, and Cariss Turner Smith, Director of Grantmaking & Community Partnerships, share their thoughts on Young Voices of Cleveland.
The program’s impact extends beyond just the classroom and the organization chosen for the grant. By actively addressing a community issue, the students:
- Develop problem-solving, planning, and leadership skills
- Establish a sense of ownership and responsibility for their community
- Gain real-world experience that can prepare them for future leadership roles
- Inspire their peers to get involved in the community and work to make a difference
Having the opportunity to partner with United Way is an appealing part of the program, according to Jazmine Dowdley, a Program Coordinator with Open Doors Academy.
“I’m always excited whenever we get to work with outside partners in our community. When I learned that Open Doors and Euclid High School were going to be part of the program with United Way that was fantastic,” Jazmine said. “Learning about philanthropy is a great opportunity for our students, and it will expose them to so many other great things within Cleveland.”
Empowering the next generation of leaders helps to build a stronger community for everyone, according to Cariss.
“Young Voices allows teens to not only learn about the non-profit landscape in Cleveland, but also teaches them about the philanthropist in each of us as we can each continue to give back to the community with our talents, our time, our treasures, and our resources,” Cariss said. “The Young Voices of Cleveland program is about more than just philanthropy; it is about helping the next generation learn to build a stronger and more equitable Cleveland.”
By providing young people with the knowledge to become active changemakers, Young Voices of Cleveland seeks to foster a community where diverse voices are heard, problems are tackled head-on, and solutions are born from collaboration.
About Young Voices of Cleveland
Young Voices of Cleveland began more than 20 years ago as the John K. Mott Youth Fund Distribution Committee, named after a former United Way staff member who cared deeply about imparting philanthropic values to youth. Since then, more than 600 high school students across Greater Cleveland have come together to review proposals and recommend small grants to support programs and services for young people. This year’s program is made possible in part by The Doll Family Foundation.
About Open Doors Academy
Open Doors Academy works to protect, inspire, nurture, and challenge youth to reach their full potential. They accomplish that by seeking to advance educational equity in the communities they serve by creating high-quality, out-of-school time programs that meet the needs of scholars.
