What is Youth & Government?

For meeting locations and times, click here.    

 
The YMCA Youth & Government Model Legislature and Court Program - or Y&G for short - offers hands-on leadership training for California High School Students in grades 9-12. 

Throughout California, over 3400 students meet in local YMCA delegations weekly to learn about state government, author their own legislation, develop leadership skills, and build their self-confidence by honing their public speaking and presentation skills while preparing for an experience unlike any other. 

In high school civics you learn about the basics of government, but do you know how your state really works? Are you ready to lead? Can you turn an idea into a law? Through Y&G, you’ll learn how government works – not just what government does.

After two training conferences, you’ll take over the State Capitol, the Superior Court, run a newspaper , or do the jobs of our elected officials, lawyers, judges, and journalists.

You cannot learn this from a book.

Our delegates might not all run for office someday, but if they wanted to, they would know how. What do our delegates do? They care. They engage in their communities every day. They show up. They vote. They get ready today for the leadership challenges of tomorrow. 

Are you ready to accept the challenge of leadership? Do you want to have a voice in your community and your future? Then Y&G is for you.