Youth Leadership
SOMCAN’s
Youth Organizing Program (SYOP) was
launched in June 2003. SOMCAN hired six young people from the neighborhood
as Youth Organizing Interns (out of a pool of 31 applicants). Similar
to our Resident Organizing Program, SYOP’s curriculum included
workshops and trainings that focus on developing community awareness,
leadership development, organizing skills, and political development.
Community Education - Land Games (an inter-active Land Use exercise), History of SoMa, Save Trinity Plaza, Youth Discount at Metreon, Youth Needs in SoMa.
Leadership Development - Meeting Facilitation and Discussion, Public Speaking, Time Management and Money Management.
Organizing Skills - What is Community Organizing, Event Planning, Outreach & Recruitment, and Campaign Strategy and Development.
Political Education - Exploring Identities, Power Analysis, Attacks on Communities of Color, What’s Going Down in Our Schools, Sexism, Globalization, and Prison Industrial Complex.
During
the program, interns learned how to apply the knowledge they gained through
the curriculum to a community campaign addressing the eviction demolition
of tenants at Trinity Plaza. Interns created a flyer to distribute throughout
the community to inform residents of the campaign to stop the demolition
eviction of over 350 tenants at Trinity Plaza and collected over 100 petition
signatures in support of the Tenants.
SYOP’s interns also participated
in an action led by Schools Not Jails in early July to protest the state
budget cuts affecting high schools in the Bay Area. An
intern spoke on behalf of SoMa youth and drew connections between the state
budget cuts and how it has affected and continues to affect the young people
residing in the South of Market.
Throughout the summer, interns exercised their public speaking skills by attending the Housing Element hearings at City Hall and participating in a Know Your Rights training at the South of Market Recreation Center. These were empowering opportunities for them to express their concerns as youth publicly and share their mission to create positive change in the neighborhood.
As part of the program, the youth also established SHYNE (Street Hustlin’ Youth ‘N Empowerment), an independent organization led by youth in the neighborhood. The mission of SHYNE is “We’re a group of teenagers in SoMa out to create a positive change for SoMa youth, so we can build a safer and stronger community.”
SHYNE was awarded $500 through the Youth Initiated Project of the Youth Leadership Institute to hold an event to promote the organization, recruit members, and educate youth about community issues. The event, “Youth Rock the House” was held on August 28th at the South of Market Recreation Center and drew over 75 young people. The two-hour program featured local youth performing rap, spoken word, dance, and information tables.
SYOP’s interns also participated
in an action led by Schools Not Jails in early July to protest the state
budget cuts affecting high schools in the Bay Area. An
intern spoke on behalf of SoMa youth and drew connections between the state
budget cuts and how it has affected and continues to affect the young people
residing in the South of Market.Throughout the summer, interns exercised their public speaking skills by attending the Housing Element hearings at City Hall and participating in a Know Your Rights training at the South of Market Recreation Center. These were empowering opportunities for them to express their concerns as youth publicly and share their mission to create positive change in the neighborhood.
As part of the program, the youth also established SHYNE (Street Hustlin’ Youth ‘N Empowerment), an independent organization led by youth in the neighborhood. The mission of SHYNE is “We’re a group of teenagers in SoMa out to create a positive change for SoMa youth, so we can build a safer and stronger community.”
SHYNE was awarded $500 through the Youth Initiated Project of the Youth Leadership Institute to hold an event to promote the organization, recruit members, and educate youth about community issues. The event, “Youth Rock the House” was held on August 28th at the South of Market Recreation Center and drew over 75 young people. The two-hour program featured local youth performing rap, spoken word, dance, and information tables.