

Strengthening Community Leadership
The Council’s Elevate Youth California program supports youth leadership development in Oakland and Vallejo to reduce youth substance use disorder (SUD). Funded by the Sierra Health Foundation, this program trains young leaders (EYC Fellows) in Alameda and Solano Counties to implement peer mentoring, youth advocacy, and outreach activities to middle- and high-school students at risk of SUD.
Fellows receive training in research methods, data analysis, trauma-informed and healing-centered principles/practices, historical analysis and cultural awareness, stigma reduction, public speaking/writing skills, facilitation skills, social media, communications strategy and policy analysis. Fellows’ SUD training includes education on various drugs, their harms and prevention and treatment options available in their communities; healing-informed practices; and tools/language for reducing the stigma associated with opioid use disorder/mental health services.
Leadership Development and Training
The Council’s work in community leadership development is reflected by our most recent successes conducting community-based participatory research for the newly created Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) and development of the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland pilot program (9-1-1 call alternative non-police response system). The Council’s new ‘Fellows-in-Residence’ program is built on young leaders developing community initiatives and campaigns to advance positive community health outcomes (focusing on mental health and substance abuse).
Additional Council programs in youth leadership development include establishing the Oakland-Alameda Opportunity Youth Community Action Team (a national demonstration project sponsored by the Aspen Institute and Opportunity Youth United); organizing youth outreach for the United Way of the Bay Area’s Census 2020 effort; serving as fiscal agent for BizStoop (youth-led social change philanthropy initiative); and, implementing a youth leadership/job training program as part of the California Community Reinvestment Grant program.
