YEA Camp for Adults will be amazing! Join us!

As we prepare for our second year of YEA Camp for Adults, we wanted to share more about its purpose, ways it’s similar but also different from a typical leadership or activism conference or training or retreat, and how it might be the most fun you’ve ever had focusing on self-care, personal growth, and changing the world.

We are living in a time when children are being separated from their families at the border, when those in power are ignoring scientists’ warnings about climate catastrophe, and the richest 26 people in the world currently own the same wealth as the poorer half of the entire global population. These are just a few of the most devastating injustices we are facing.

It’s enough to make a big-hearted person feel totally demoralized, check out, or give up.

But, thankfully, many people who have never been activists before are getting involved and inspired to bring about change.

Seeing this has been incredible! People are attending their first marches and getting involved in politics for the first time. They’re donating money, having uncomfortable conversations to challenge outdated thinking, and on and on.

For the past 10 years, YEA Camp has been training teens to make a bigger difference on the social justice causes they care most about, and we recognize that folks 18 and up have some of the same needs as teens do to get involved at higher levels than ever before.

That’s why we created YEA Camp for Adults.

Check out our new video about YEA Camp for Adults!

Changing the world is hard! Not only does it take knowledge about issues and skills to make an impact, it takes self-confidence to get out of our comfort zone, and community to learn from and work with.

So many people got their start as changemakers by mostly stumbling along without a plan or rationale. It’s often lonely and time-consuming to try things out without much in the way of relevant knowledge, skills, mentorship, or even open conversations with experienced activists to help navigate a path that is inherently entrepreneurial and against the status quo.

Left to our own devices, it’s too easy to just like posts on social media, go to a march every few months, and complain about all of the world’s problems without doing much of anything about them.

That’s where we try to intervene and make a real difference. We leverage the experience of our staff to help kickstart or up-level your activism.

Social Justice Activism and Leadership Training for Aspiring Activists

At YEA Camp, we curate the most foundational concepts and skills that we want to make sure every changemaker has in their toolkit. Things like:

• Fundamental strategies for understanding and chipping away at racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression
• Intersectionality and how different social justice issues relate to one another
• Evaluating our habits and choices to see how our daily actions and purchases can be some of the simplest ways we can make a difference
• Going deeper and examining our limiting beliefs and fears to help us find our voice and tap into our power
• Tapping into our resilience when we feel overwhelmed and demoralized by the state of the world
• Communication skills to help us have more effective interactions with people who we disagree with, especially those in positions of power — and to know when to avoid these interactions
• Skills to inspire others to get involved, to use social media or grassroots outreach effectively, to raise money for your cause, or to launch a socially responsible business or venture
• Interactive activities tailored to different learning styles and to help you apply everything you learn
• Tapping into our creativity and using the existing skills we each have to find our niche and make a difference in a way that is most appropriate for each of us
• Developing strategies to assess the best use of our time, and to make a plan that inspires us

Why A Summer Camp for Activists?

So many reasons! Let’s focus on three.

Join us at YEA Camp for Adults at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, just outside of New York City.

1. Summer camp brings together the elements of fun, inspiration, and relaxation. As activist-minded people, we can become focused on all the problems in the world. In comparison to so many injustices, it could feel impossible or selfish to enjoy our lives. We hope you’ll see that taking time to be out in nature, be silly, and enjoy life is a long-term investment in your activism. It can help us replenish our energy and inspiration so that we can think clearly and truly be of service to others.

2. Camp inherently challenges us to get out of our comfort zones.

   From meeting new people, to being open to the unknown, to the most basic adjustments to new food and a bed that’s not your own. But as we tap into our courage in a safe environment, we can build a muscle that actually expands the size of our comfort zone. Things that made us nervous before become not so scary, and that is hugely helpful for any activist. With an activist mindset, we see infinite opportunities to take action beyond what we’ve done before, where we’re not sure what to expect, or where we may be opening ourselves up for criticism or perceived failure. We can all benefit by getting more comfortable getting out of our comfort zones.

3. Camp might be the best place in the world to reinvent yourself.

   Most of us spend the majority of our time with the same people.  Our coworkers, family, friends, neighbors, and even ourselves know us to be a certain way. We are a product of our past ways of being and seeing ourselves. But what if we want to re-evaluate who we are or how we want to approach life? What if we want to pursue new passions or set new goals? That can be hard to just wake up and do one day over breakfast or at work.

Being at camp is transformational.

You get to show up as whoever you want to try out being. If you’re naturally shy, what if you try being outgoing? In a welcoming environment where nobody knows you, we won’t even know you’re just trying that out!

This is an opportunity to brainstorm a new way to get involved in your community or a more inspired career. We will have no judgments –just offer support and thoughtful input if you ask for it.

There are conferences and trainings to learn about specific problems in the world or to build specific skills. But they’re usually boring or stuffy, in a sterile hotel conference room all day packed with people you won’t get to know, and with someone droning on to explain a PowerPoint you could have read at home.

But what if you could learn the basics of what you need to know to make a bigger difference while also having one of the most fun weeks of your life, building strong bonds with like-minded supportive people, and spending time in nature rejuvenating yourself so that you feel inspired rather than drained?

That’s YEA Camp!

Details, Please?!

YEA Camp for Adults is a leadership training and activist retreat all held on the grounds of an animal sanctuary!

YEA Camp for Adults is held at the incredible Woodstock Farm Sanctuary — a home for rescued farmed animals who will be some of our hosts and friends as we enjoy our own sanctuary during our time together. We chose June 30-July 6, the week of July 4th, so it will be easier to get away.

We only have 50 beds, so this will be an intimate setting. Everyone will get to know everyone and nobody can fall through the cracks. The accommodations are modern, and we will have a personal vegan chef cooking for us! We also promise you will become friends with creatures with 2 legs, 4 legs, and even wings!

We also offer a sliding scale and financial aid to make it easier for people to be able to come.

If you’re passionate about making a bigger difference in the world, YEA Camp was created with you in mind.

Summer is fast approaching! We hope you will take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity to take your change-making to new heights!

Check out our event page here. And find out more or register to join us this summer by visiting our website here.

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We are so excited to share Noor’s journey with you and hope it inspires you as much as she continues to inspire us!

Noor marching for social justice and supporting intersectional causes in front of the Los Angeles Times headquarters

YEA Camp: Hey, Noor! Tell us about the activism you’ve been doing.

Noor: My biggest focus and current activism had been mainly centered around mental health awareness, although within the past few months I’ve also been able to involve myself with many other issues. I’ve created activism-related videos on my YouTube channel, have written articles for my personal blog and HS Insider (a youth journalism program), and have also founded the Education Emotion Project (EEP!) through an international leadership organization. EEP! is a project centered around providing mental health information and resources to youth who need and/or want to spread awareness throughout their communities. I’m also currently working on creating the first ever Mental Health Week at my school, where we will encourage students and teachers to engage in discussions about mental health while providing education as to how to be proactively aware of the many issues and stigmas surrounding these subjects.

YEA: Incredible! How did you get involved with activism and what you’re currently working on?

NA: YEA Camp exposed me to so many movements I wasn’t aware of before, and I’m forever thankful for them for being able to broaden the activism I’ve been able to be a part of lately. I can also honestly thank a large majority of the current activism I’m a part of to the internet, as well as the many nonprofits centered around issues I am passionate and care about. Without these resources I don’t think I ever would have known where to start in terms of these issues, and they were a vital starting point to everything I’ve been able to be a part of.

YEA: What challenges have you faced as an activist and how have you dealt with them?

NA: There are many challenges that you can face once you begin your activism journey, whether it be backlash from others or your own personal struggles. At first I felt as though the world was against me and my activism, but over time I realized that that was not really what was holding me back. Not everyone will agree with what you are doing, and that is okay. As long as you’re able to stay true to what you believe, but also know that nothing is set in stone, I think being able to pursue action becomes that much easier.

I think my biggest challenges have truly been personal ones; I tend to think that everything I do is not enough, and for a while I let that hinder me from actually trying to achieve my goals. But over time I’ve realized that there is absolutely nothing to lose and that doing nothing will never result in any change. Getting over listening to that voice in my head has made the biggest difference in what I’ve been able to do, and as a result has also positively impacted how I communicate with others.

YEA: What advice do you have for new activists just getting involved?

NA: Just do it. I think we all have at least one thing in the world that we are incredibly passionate about — or affects us personally — that we want to change. But that change will not happen on its own! You do have the power to spark a change in your community, and I feel like even though we’re all taught to try and “change the world”, no one truly encourages us to take action. Small actions are a great place to start. Find an issue you care about; do as much research and obtain as much knowledge and resources that you can; and from there, decide what the best mode of action would be. Is that creating an awareness week at school? Creating a club? Joining a nonprofit? Volunteering? The possibilities are endless, and you can never predict how big of an impact a seemingly small action can have.

YEA: How did YEA Camp help you in your activism, if it did?

Check out this amazing video Noor made about her experience at YEA Camp!

NA: I think YEA Camp was kind of the spark to my flame in terms of my activism journey. I’d always felt passionately about many issues, and wasn’t afraid of expressing my opinion regarding them, but I never knew how to turn that into palpable action. Being able to be in an environment that cultivated change and constant encouragement amongst its campers and staff made me realize why I started getting into activism in the first place. It’s not just to yell and scream or to complain about the things that we don’t like, but rather to push for action in order to ensure that we have a better future.

YEA: Aw! We’re so glad YEA Camp helped you find your voice and sparked your passion. What activist goals do you have in the future?

NA: I know that this may sound far-fetched, but my ultimate goals in terms of activism would be to spark as much positive change in as many communities that I can. I hope to continue to pursue action that I’m passionate about and that can help or inspire others. Personally, I would love to work with a mental health related nonprofit in the future. Currently, I work with NEDA (the National Eating Disorders Association) and volunteer with a few other organizations! Ultimately, I want to always be open to hearing about others stories and learning from them, and in addition to that be able to be a part of as many movements that cultivate positive change as possible.

Noor’s natural habitat is with her camera in tow to document her activist journey!

YEA: Are there any organizations you’ve been working with?

NA: This year I’ve been able to work more closely with NEDA, as well as volunteer for AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). I hope to get involved with even more organizations that are centered around a variety of issues, but as of right now this is where I’m at!

YEA: Anything else you want to tell us?

NA: I just hope that no matter what, you know that you can do whatever you set your mind to. Sometimes even the people who you thought would support you the most are hesitant to encourage your actions, but if you know that what your doing is for the greater good, don’t let that stop you. Have faith in yourself, homies!

Noor is 16 years old and a junior in high school. She lives in Torrance, California and attended the 2017 Massachusetts session of YEA Camp. And she made this awesome video about her experience at YEA Camp!

If you or someone you know can relate to Noor and wants to make a bigger difference in the world, come to YEA Camp this summer! We now have a camp for adults too!

The post YEA Camper Activist Profile: Noor Aldayeh Reaches Thousands Through Social Media appeared first on YEA Camp.

Sorry, we don’t mean to give away all the spoilers! We were happy she fit this interview with YEA Camp into her busy schedule and are glad to let her tell you more.

YEA Camp: Tell us about the activism you’ve been doing.

Lauren: I’ve volunteered with two organizations for several years now – Animal Advocates (an animal shelter where my family and I take care of cats) and Global Links, which packs and sends donated medical supplies to hospitals that can’t afford to buy their own, or to places that have recently gone through a natural disaster. For instance, right now, we’re sending a lot of stuff to Puerto Rico.

Lauren tabling with her robotics club

In addition, I’ve written several articles and blog posts about activism, animal rights, and veganism for different websites and organizations.

I’m also on an all-girls high school robotics team (The Girls of Steel). Our mission is to empower women and girls in the pursuit of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) by exemplifying female success in robotics. STEM fields are still very male-dominated – our mission is to change people’s attitudes about women in STEM and helping young girls know they can be successful in a STEM career.

How did you get involved with activism and what you’re currently working on?

My parents were vegan and doing animal rights activism before I was born, and I’ve been explaining veganism to people since forever, so I guess you could say I was born an activist! However, I started volunteering when I was about 11, and I started writing and doing other forms of activism after attending my first session of YEA Camp in 2015.

Right now I’m working on a few things, along with writing, volunteer work and Girls Of Steel. I’m on Farm Sanctuary’s Youth Advisory Board, giving input on pamphlets etc. they want to create for younger activists, as well as kids that want to learn about veganism.

In addition, I’ve done a few art-activism things. I just finished performances of a play called “You Belong to Me” with a local theater company. This play aims to raise awareness about, and prevent, teen dating violence, and it’s an incredibly powerful piece that has been performed in schools all around the Pittsburgh area. I want to be an actor when I grow up, so this was a great way for me to combine acting and activism!

I’m also a YEA Camp Intern!

Lauren at a farm animal sanctuary with rescued turkeys

What challenges have you faced as an activist and how have you dealt with them?

Time management has always been a bit of a problem for me, but I’ve discovered it helps me be the most effective if I have one specific goal (maybe it’s to “Write one article before Sunday”) and then I budget my time over the week to make sure I get it done; vs having an open-ended goal (“Write as many articles as you can this week”).

What advice do you have for new activists just getting involved?

Go for it! Even if you don’t think you’ll be good at it. Even if you can only do something you consider small or unimportant. You’ll get better (and gain confidence) with practice and every single action matters and will make a difference, no matter the size or scope.

How did YEA Camp help you in your activism, if it did?

YEA Camp helped me in tons of ways! I gained more knowledge (about many things, but specifically about how to answer tricky questions), as well as a lot more confidence in myself and my abilities as an activist. YEA Camp also connected me to a ton of organizations and people that I have worked with or could work with in the future. It’s also helped me a lot to just know that there are amazing people out there who care as passionately about issues as I do.

What activist goals do you have in the future?

Gain more confidence. Reach more people. Take part in more activism.

Have you been involved with any organizations or used any as resources for your activism?

Yes! YEA Camp (obviously), Animal Advocates, Global Links, Farm Sanctuary, and Girls of Steel Robotics are the main groups with which I have worked that have helped me to grow in my activism.

Do you care about making a difference just like Lauren does? Want help getting more involved? Come to YEA Camp this summer!

Lauren Scheller-Wolf is a 17-year-old activist for many causes, though her focus is on animal rights. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended YEA Camp New York in 2015 and 2016.

The post YEA Camper Activist Spotlight: Lauren Scheller-Wolfe Is a Star appeared first on YEA Camp.

YEA Camp is a summer leadership camp for teen activists.

Since 2009, Youth Empowered Action (YEA) Camp, a summer camp for social change, has been holding life-changing overnight camps for youth across the country. This summer, for the first time, YEA Camp will be holding a session in Southern California, in the beautiful Angeles National Forest.

Pressed by the current political climate, young people all across the country, and especially in California, are getting more and more engaged in social issues. They are walking out of school, marching in the streets, and making their voices heard on political issues. They are taking a stand against racism, homophobia, sexism, xenophobia, and in support of immigrants, equality, health care, the environment, and animal rights.

YEA Campers from all over the country attended Women’s Marches, the day after Inauguration Day.

Supporting activist-minded progressive teens is the whole reason for YEA Camp’s existence, and moving to a bigger location just outside Los Angeles will help YEA Camp serve even more young people.

At YEA Camp, young people ages 12-17 choose an issue they are most passionate about, what the camp calls their Issue of Importance (IOI), and throughout the week campers develop knowledge, skills, confidence, and community to help them make a bigger difference when they go home.

Campers have gone on to start school clubs to improve student self-esteem, rally and fundraise for organizations they support, go to Standing Rock, and so much more. In fact, YEA Camp recently successfully nominated 3 former campers for $1000 Pollination Project grants to help them expand on their food justice activism work, and all 3 were funded!

YEA Camp helps young people who know they want to make a difference figure out what to do, or to take what they are already doing to the next level. By the end of camp, everyone creates an action plan for what they intend to do when they go home. Check out many testimonials from past campers here. Here’s one we really love from 13-year-old rockstar YEA Camper Ananya.

YEA Camp’s California camp will be held August 6-13 in Wrightwood, CA, approximately an hour north of Pasadena.

In addition to the west coast session, for the sixth year in a row, YEA Camp will hold sessions on the east coast as well, with a camp in Massachusetts from July 9-16, and a camp in New York from July 23-30, a session especially for animal advocates.

“There is so much that each one of us can do to make a difference in the world,” said YEA Camp Founder and Director Nora Kramer. “It’s so inspiring to see our campers find their voice and get active on causes they believe in. We’re thrilled to be offering this session just outside Los Angeles and to be able to serve more campers than ever before.”

Space is still available for each session, though space is limited. To learn more about YEA Camp, visit www.yeacamp.org.

To learn more about YEA Camp, visit www.yeacamp.org.

The post Leadership Camp for Teen Activists Comes to Southern California appeared first on YEA Camp.

Youth Empowered Action (YEA) Camp is a summer camp for social change. A week-long overnight leadership camp, YEA Camp has trained over 600 teens and tweens to make a difference on a cause they care about.

Even though YEA Camp has been going strong for 9 years, it may as well have been designed for the countless young people across the country who are currently freaking out about the new political climate, which has taken the need there already was to get active on important causes – issues like racism, poverty, women’s rights, LGBTQ equality, immigrant rights, the environment, animal rights, and more – to a whole new level.

There is so much we can all do to make a difference, and we need all hands on deck to get active!

To be clear, YEA Camp does not push campers to support any particular issue, party, or candidate. That is for them to decide based on their own passions and beliefs. But, to give an indication of where YEA Campers stand, when, on July 4 last summer, campers held a special mock debate and election, not only did the current president not win the popular vote. He literally didn’t get any votes. And the camper portraying Donald Trump literally apologized for the things she was about to say in character.

The day after the election, many of our campers (and many people all over the world) were truly alarmed. They felt the new administration poses serious threats to the issues they deeply care about. We held a group call that night to talk through people’s fears and brainstorm what people can do, and campers from across the country came together to support one another in moving forward.

YEA Camp helps young people get active on causes they care about in so many different ways, and, since the election, YEA Campers have been responding in force.

Here are 10 ways YEA Camp can help the change-making teen in your life cope with and make a difference in the age of Trump.

1. Meet like-minded friends and inspiring staff role models. Some YEA Campers report being the only person they know who cares as much as they do about their cause. Some even experience bullying because they have taken a stand for what they care about. Being surrounded by peers and mentors who also care deeply helps us feel that we are not alone, that we have people we can rely on for help, and that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

2. Build resilience and learn how to deal with the sadness and anger we feel about the injustices of the world. Through powerful activities designed to safely experience and share our emotions about the world, YEA Campers find healthy ways to express and process emotions, practice self-care, and strengthen their relationships

3. Learn about the history of social movements and how we each fit in and can do our part. It may seem like today’s problems are worse than they ever were, or like we are up against the impossible, but learning about activists who came before us who literally helped end slavery, gave so many of us the right to vote, led to environmental protections, and so much more helps us see that change takes time but that we can and must win.

4. Deepen understanding of racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression. Through interactive workshops and activities, YEA Campers examine various forms of privilege, how injustice is institutionalized, and how it can be disrupted. We can all find ways to leverage our privileges and be allies across movements. These organizations have some great resources to get more educated and active.

5. Learn specific things you can do in your everyday life to bring about change. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to figure out how to get involved, or to know if one person can make a difference, especially at a young age. Thankfully, from improving your school’s recycling or cafeteria food, fundraising for your favorite cause, making or sharing Youtube videos, speaking up when you hear someone being bullied, and so much more, the things young people can do to make a difference are endless. Check out these great organizations and get connected with (at least!) one working on a cause you care about.

6. Get involved with policitcs, even if you’re too young to vote. Voting is important, yes, but it makes far less of a difference than influencing other voters or our leaders directly. And we can all do that, even if we don’t have the right to vote (yet). Check out the Indivisible Guide, Swing Left, CTZNwell.org, and our YEA Camp Guide for Kids Too Young to Vote to get started.

7. Build skills to make a difference at your school, like starting a club, grassroots outreach, or planning a campaign. How about improving the food in your school cafeteria, getting better recycling at school, or starting a school fundraiser for a local shelter or launching an anti-bullying initiative? At YEA Camp, you’ll learn how to do these things, and more.

8. Improve your communication skills, especially when speaking with people in positions of authority and people who disagree with you. (Or both at the same time!) We do a lot of this at YEA Camp, but the best thing we can advise here is to observe people who you feel are being persuasive or whom you respect, and practice.

9. Strengthen your self-confidence and find your voice. Through powerful activities to overcome limiting beliefs, as well as developing your skills, expanding your knowledge, and being surrounded with an incredibly supportive community of people who will be cheering you on like you have never experienced before, you will leave YEA Camp fired up and ready to go make a difference.

10. Have fun! These are tough times for many of us, and we need to take care of ourselves and enjoy our lives! While YEA Camp is focused on making a difference, it is so fun! From silly games and a dance party to a talent show and free time to just hang out with new friends, YEA Campers often describe their experience as the best week of their life!

We could go on, but how many reasons do you really need?

If you or someone you know is a 12-17 year-old who wants to change the world, check out the dates, locations on both coasts, and details on YEACamp.org and get registered to join us for a life-changing experience at YEA Camp this summer.

Think you’re too old for camp? You’re not! We now have a YEA Camp for Adults!

The curriculum of YEA Camp’s training (and the list above) is based on developing 4 core needs for activists of any age: knowledge, skills, confidence, and community. Which of those would make a difference for you?

The post 10 Ways This Unique Summer Camp Will Help Teens Resist Trump appeared first on YEA Camp.