Youth Ambassadors
The Youth Ambassadors program is one of many initiatives of CCDC’s resident services team to build community and empower residents in the Pings. It brings middle school and high school-aged residents of the Pings together to learn more about the community they live in and contribute to community-building. Youth leaders conduct door-to-door outreach and support community events to build resident connections and belonging. Youth leaders also attend social outings with one another, including visiting other neighborhoods to learn more about the city. Youth participants have reported growing their social and collaboration skills by working with their fellow Youth Ambassadors. Taking a broader view, these social and communication skills may build the foundation for safety by helping youth strengthen their support system and navigate conflicts more effectively. The Youth Ambassadors have also felt empowered to suggest and implement new community-building events in the Pings.
Main Program Components
Supporting community-building initiatives
Youth Ambassadors support CCDC’s resident services team with community-building initiatives both within the Pings and in the broader Chinatown community. Within the Pings, Youth Ambassadors organize community events, such as Thanksgiving turkey giveaways, and deliver newsletters door-to-door. On occasion, Youth Ambassadors will also assist with setting up or staffing Chinatown neighborhood events, such as the Lunar New Year street fair. In total, Youth Ambassadors assist with community events about once a month.
Team meetings and social outings
In addition to these community service opportunities, Youth Ambassadors attend monthly program meetings to coordinate upcoming responsibilities and social outings. These frequent meetings allow the Youth Ambassadors to build friendships with each other and enhance teamwork.
Greeting and chatting with residents
The Youth Ambassadors contribute to a friendly and cohesive residential environment. In the course of their duties, they chat with residents who then come to recognize them outside of the program. The events that the ambassadors support and opportunities to chat may be especially helpful for elderly residents for whom events outside of the community are less accessible.
A diverse youth team
The Youth Ambassadors program strives to assemble a racially and ethnically diverse youth team to reflect resident diversity. This provides additional opportunities for positive cross-racial interactions among residents. The program can also help Black and Brown youth, who are a minority at the Pings, learn more about Chinatown and feel more welcomed by residents and the surrounding neighborhood.
Keys to Success
Advertising the benefits of the program
The program is a paid opportunity to develop social and leadership skills, which attracted the attention of residents who were parents. Some youth heard about the program from their parents who encouraged them to participate to develop their skills. One parent of a participant reported pride in their child growing their social skills and learning how to give back to their community.
Regular engagements build team cohesion
The Youth Ambassadors team meets monthly and contributes to community-building activities at least once a month. The frequency of engagement allows Youth Ambassadors to build relationships with each other and practice working together without having a high participation barrier.
Cultivating community leaders builds additional familiar faces for residents
While CCDC’s resident services team is robust, having additional community leaders present at the Pings adds to feelings of safety and neighborly support. Additionally, demonstrating youth leadership can help older residents feel hope for future generations.
A leadership development orientation
The Youth Ambassadors program makes space for youth to start their own initiatives. After helping youth feel more comfortable with setting up events and contributing to their community, youth may feel excited and empowered to contribute more. CCDC staff have been supportive of the Youth Ambassadors’ ideas to hold additional social and community-building events, furthering a sense of efficacy and empowerment for the youth.
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