Young Civic Leaders

The Young Civic Leaders Project is an 11-month paid internship. The goal of the program is to raise up, politicize, encourage and activate the next generation of leaders. The Young Civic Leaders (YCL’s) are molded into agents of change in their communities through a series of training, workshops, project-based learning opportunities, and collaborations and more. Upon completion of program, graduation, Young Civic Leaders are eligible for a scholarship from MassVOTE.

MEET THE YOUNG CIVIC LEADERS!

"In a job where opinions can easily be manipulated, it is important for yourself to remain unbiased. At work, I try my best to put aside my opinions and stay open-minded to others' opinions, no matter how different they may be. My role as a YCL is not to change or distort ideologies, but rather inspire and inform on civics, politics and community engagement."

"When people tell me their vote does not matter, I tell them that every vote counts and that they deserve to be heard. I also tell them that when they vote they have just that much more influence in their government than they had the day before. I let them know that they matter and that when they vote; the outcome of the election can be affected even in the slightest manner."

"When people tell me their vote does not matter, they underestimate their power. There is a probability for their vote to be the real game changer for the whole election. I aim to educate, to show them the true power of their vote."

"The will of the people sheds light through the power to vote. One can't simply rely on others to make the right decisions and get upset when things don't go your way. This is why voting is important and the more participation there is the truer the government will reflect the will of the people."

"I am surprised when people say their vote doesn’t matter. A vote is a voice that has a say about what happens in our government.I tell people that their vote DOES matter. I tell them that I am jealous that I can’t vote on serious issues that are happening in the county that I live in and that they’re wasting their voice. We all should have a say in our government."

REQUEST A WORKSHOP!

Contact YCL Coordinator J.Cottle at

for more information!

Voter Registration Training/Drive

Best practices and strategies for effective voter registration efforts.

Why Vote?

Explores barriers to voting and how to address them.

Fake News!

Understanding how news works and how to avoid misinformation in the age of social media.

Know Your Rights

Understanding the Bill of Rights and its context in today's society, and how it may not apply to all citizen's equally.

Get Through

Understanding how each branch of the US Government corresponds with each other and why checks and balances exist.

Majority Rules

Exploring how negotiating is rarely cut and dry. Progress requires an open mind, especially in an age of hyper-partisanship.

Join the VOTE16 Coalition!

For resources, or information on joining the cohort, email Marianna at

New Youth Congress Summit

Follow along with our Instagram feed!

BECOME A YOUNG CIVIC LEADER!

Requirements for Applicants:

Must be mid-year freshmen, sophomores, and high school juniors

Commitment to participate in both the school year and summer sessions.
Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5

School Year Session:

From October to June, each YCL member commits to working a minimum of 10 hours per week with mandatory Saturdays from 10-4pm. Program Expectations: The program aims to develop young civic leader that will learn, share, and develop new tools to enhance civic participation in their school, community or network. YCL’s will receive training in: Civics, Advocacy/Lobbying, Organizing, Debate, Event Production/Project Management, Workshop Development/Curriculum Design, Institutional Partnerships/Networking, and Fundraising/Grant-Writing.

If you have questions, please contact YCL Coordinator, J. Cottle, at jcottle@massvote.org