Youth Creating Change supports youth development in different ways.
Youth Council
Are you between the ages 14 and 25? Apply today and join our youth council. As part of our youth council, young people inform and guide the work that we do, while learning about topics that interest them. Topics vary each year, but often include evaluation, public speaking, marketing and outreach, advocacy and creative activism, careers in social change fields, and media and messaging.
Each term lasts for one school year, from October to June. To apply, submit an application below by September 30. Youth council members will be announced in early October.
Who can apply?
- Young people in grades 8-12, or in college (up to age 25)
- Must have participated in the Directing Change Film Contest or Hope & Justice Art and Film Contest at least once in the last 3 years
- Live in California
Youth Listening Sessions & Co-Creation Frameworks
When youth are at the center of their own well-being, change can happen. When adults are inspired to listen, youth feel seen and heard. Youth Creating Change partners with organizations to create and apply authentic co-creation models and frameworks that put youth at the center of planning and implementation for your program or campaign. Our services include facilitating listening sessions and creation of youth advisory boards.
Youth Led Events
Over the years, youth have come up with and planned impressive events to raise awareness about mental health or suicide prevention events at their schools and in their communities.
Annually, on the eve of the Directing Change Film Contest red carpet award event, Your Creating Change hosts “Youth for Change.” This event pairs youth with entertainment professionals, artists, and musicians to learn about careers where they can use their talent and voice to make a difference.
In addition, and as funding permits, Youth Creating Change hosts ‘paint my piece’ events where a youth artist instructs attendees on how to recreate a painting they submitted to the Hope & Justice contest.
Youth Leading Change
Youth Council members are creating powerful change in their schools and communities through creativity, advocacy, and leadership. From launching podcasts and producing short films to organizing school-wide events and awareness campaigns, these young leaders are breaking the stigma around mental health and inspiring their peers to speak up and seek help.
Together, these young advocates are showing what’s possible when youth are empowered to lead.
In July 2025, members of the YCC Youth Advisory Council had the opportunity to attend the Youth Suicide Research Consortium (YSRC) conference: a national gathering of researchers, clinicians, and advocates working to advance youth suicide prevention.
Council members participated in a “Future Workshop” session, where they worked alongside conference attendees to explore new directions in youth suicide prevention research and practice. They also played a hands-on production role, assisting in the creation of a documentary about the conference by conducting short interviews with participants.
The conference was a chance for young people to shape conversations and step into professional spaces where their perspectives are too often missing.
“ Getting to attend the YRSC Conference in New York earlier this month was truly an unforgettable experience. Even though we may have different backgrounds, different stories, and may not be experts in certain areas, when we’re able to collaborate and share our ideas, nothing is impossible. And for that, I’m incredibly grateful that I had the opportunity to be in the same building and learn from so many passionate and inspiring individuals. There was so much research and data that went into everyone’s posters and presentations to make sure people understood the warning signs of youth suicide and the different ways we can help prevent it. Not only that, but seeing how passionate everyone was about their work and how much effort went into making the conference happen truly showed me the importance of teamwork and community.” – Jerome Baclayon
Building Wellness Through Indoor Sensory “Garden”
During the 2025-26 program year Youth Creating Change was one of the community sponsors for Savannah’s Girl Scout Gold Award Community Service Project. Research has shown an association between sensory gardens and stress reduction, mood enhancement, and cognitive performance. Based on a Kansas State University research dissertation project the idea was to create a sensory garden that could be used indoors, so students would have access to it even when they couldn’t go outside. Savannah worked with community partners and subject matter experts to create a prototype and then met with several wellness coordinators to get feedback. She created three models and donated them to wellness centers at Pacific Beach Middle School, Mission Bay High School, and High Tech High. In addition she created a step-by-step instruction guide to help other schools build their own models.
A Podcast Sheds Light on Youth Mental Health
As a youth council member, Sophia participated in the Media and Messaging track to build skills in creating and sharing media, outreach and messaging to promote mental health awareness and advocacy. This inspired her to pitch and develop Uncontrollable, a podcast about youth mental health, diving into topics such as therapy, addiction, and treatment by inviting young people and mental health professionals to share their knowledge and lived experience.
Raising Awareness Through Social Media
Youth Council Member Katelyn created vibrant, youth-friendly videos and graphics that have been shared out widely in our digital toolkits and on our social channels. Her “Self Care Tips” animation was included in the 2024 Suicide Prevention Week Toolkit and widely shared by partner agencies across California. The graphic includes grounding tips for young people experiences thoughts of suicide as well as stress management techniques.
From Program Participant to Emerging Leaders
Past program participant and youth council member Naya first participated in YCC’s Directing Change program, submitting winning films to our Suicide Prevention, and Through the Lens of Culture categories. As an award winner, Naya attended the Youth for Social Change networking event in Los Angeles County, connecting with peers and industry professionals advocating for social change. Naya then applied for and served on the YCC Youth Council, where she helped inform the programming, while building skills in leadership, marketing, messaging, advocacy, and program evaluation in partnership with NYU researchers. Putting her training into action, Naya brought the Directing Change Mini Grant Program to her school as part of the 2024–25 structured learning cohort, facilitating a suicide prevention lesson for classmates, coordinating the creation of three student films, and hosting a youth-led film screening and mental health awareness event on campus.
“Serving on the Directing Change Youth Council has been one of the most formative leadership experiences of my life. Not only has it taught me about leadership and civic engagement, but it also changed the way I see my role within my community. It has taught me how to collaborate responsibly, speak confidently in group settings, and engage respectfully with differing viewpoints. In an increasingly polarized world, Directing Change has helped me develop the skills to participate in thoughtful dialogue, leaving space for discussion.”- Naya
