Giving Compass' Take:

•Tom Vander Ark, writing for Getting Smart, discusses programs and communities organizations that are invested in young people making a difference. 

• How can donors invest in local community initiatives that already have partnerships with local schools?

• Read this case study about communities in schools. 

Helping young people identify and make their unique contribution is motivating and great preparation for the innovation economy–and they’ll inherit a world that could really use the help right now. Now that we’re all connected, it has never been easier for young people to code an app, raise money, or launch a campaign. It’s time to help young people play a lead role in their own superhero feature.

We recently reported on seven schools alive with possibility. This post highlights 11 programs and community organizations helping youth make a difference. Here are five from that list:

  1. Advancing Leadership (@ALFedWay) is a community development program in Federal Way Washington (between Seattle and Tacoma). Like hundreds of similar programs, a cohort of adults spends a day a month together studying community issues including education, environment, economy, and housing. Participants pick a project and work together for half a year to make a unique contribution to the community.
  2.  AI4ALL (@ai4allorg) is a summer program for high school students who self-identify as part of an underrepresented group. By connecting them to computer scientists from 11 leading universities, youth learn to use AI to solve problems they care about (see feature).
  3.  Big Green (@biggree) is building a national school food culture that promotes youth wellness. Through food literacy programs and a network of Learning Gardens, students, parents and teachers are connected through robust food culture.
  4. Real World Scholars (@RWScholars) EdCorps Program operates an e-commerce platform that allows students to develop and operate businesses under their nonprofit umbrella.

Read the full article about contribution programs helping youth by Tom Vander Ark at Getting Smart.