Harmony's Youth Leadership Institute

911 Main St., Suite 906
Kansas City, MO 64114
phone: 816-333-5059
website: www.kcharmony.org

Harmony’s Youth Leadership Institute (formerly a national program called Anytown) is an award-winning summer leadership institute that empowers high school youth to improve their communities by making them more inclusive and just. During the seven-day residential camp, student delegates participate in a series of experiential activities and small- and large-group dialogue to begin a leadership journey that explores social justice issues facing the community. The goal is to prepare high school students to become change agents and train them to be culturally competent leaders in community change and further develop leadership skills to transfer into action within their chosen environment.
The group, consisting of about 50 delegates and 20 staff members per session, spends a full day focused on each of several forms of discrimination; including racism, sexism and heterosexism, and classism, then challenge and prepare them with the leadership and community activism skills.

The Youth Leadership Institute is open to incoming high school sophomores through outgoing high school seniors from schools and communities across the Greater Kansas City area – and beyond. In order for the Youth Leadership Institute to be fully effective, broad diversity of the delegate group is imperative. The dialogues and activities are enriched by perspectives from different races, faith traditions, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, and experiences. Harmony’s Youth Leadership Institute 2011 will consist of one session, serving a total of approximately 50 students held at Park University.

In 2010, Harmony’s Youth Leadership Institute was supported by collaborating agencies to fulfill program objectives and introduce social justice issues in the Kansas City community. Supporting agencies included: United Way, Metropolitan Community College, Rose Brooks Center, Kansas City Anti-Violence Project, Rockhurst University, ReStart Inc., Hispanic Law Student Association UMKC, Avila University Social Work Department, EQUAL, LULAC National Educational Service Center, MORE2, ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, 20/20 Leadership, and Kansas City Police Department. Harmony’s Youth Leadership Institute will not be funded by United Way in 2011 however will continue the partnerships with supporting agencies.