YouthAction NYC members have created the one hour Peer Advocacy and Budget Training to teach middle through high school students about advocacy, the city budget process and issues facing children and families in New York City. The training can be held at community-based organizations and public and private schools. The training introduces Keeping Track of New York City's Children as an educational tool to teach students about the importance of gathering accurate data, learning how to read different charts and graphs and formulizing ideas based on this data. Keeping Track is a report published by Citizens' Committee for Children that compares risks and resources for children in each of the city's 59 community districts and among different race and ethnic groups. As a participant in the program, the host organization or school will receive free copies of Keeping Track to use in their future advocacy efforts.Workshops also introduce participants to the NYC budget process with a particular emphasis on how youth can have an influence on which programs and services receive funding each year. Participants will receive a copy of the YouthAction NYC Guide to the NYC Budget, How to Participate in the City Budget Process brochure.Our goal for the YA Peer Training Program is to engage YA members in educating more New York City youth about how to make their city a better place for kids. Many youth organizations and schools throughout the city are involved in community service, community organizing and leadership development and are interested in developing concrete tools and methods that youth can use to improve their own communities and city. YouthAction NYC Peer Advocacy and Budget Trainings seek to advance their ability to take action.

For more information, please contact:
Betsy Guttmacher Program Coordinator 212-673-1800 ext. 20 bguttmacher@kfny.org