Our after-school programs seek to break isolation and build allies across group lines, develop positive identities, strengthen the connection to school through mentorship, and increase skills and confidence in diffusing conflict.
Youth & Schools
About Our Work
EmpowerMT youth & schools programs focus on healing-centered organizing rooted in belonging, meaning-making, well-being, and purpose through a leadership pathway that offers opportunities to explore identity, understand the cycle of systemic oppression, and develop leadership and communication skills to dismantle oppressive attitudes and systems. Youth leaders then create and develop comprehensive solutions to ensure lasting change, equity, and justice. EmpowerMT strives to make our workshops as reflective to your school needs as possible. We tailor our content to respond to specific issues, challenges, and opportunities that exist within your school or youth-serving organization.
"I'm always impressed by EmpowerMT's student leaders who show us how minds and hearts can change if we learn to appreciate and understand our differences. And be reminded that there's so much we have in common than what sets us apart." Denise Juneau (Former Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction)
EmpowerMT's Youth Leadership Pathway
Our leadership pathway consists of elementary to high school students partnering to create schools where all youth feel welcome with a deep sense of belonging. EmpowerMT youth leaders start their journey in elementary or middle school through EPIC, Be You Crew, and school-based workshops. High school students and 8th grade after-school club participants are eligible to attend our Empowering Youth Leadership Institute during the summer. These students go on to train thousands of students and educators across the state of Montana on cultural competence, violence, substance use, and suicide prevention, identity development, and youth empowerment. In addition to after-school programs and school-based workshops, youth of all ages are selected to join our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) to help guide our work.
"For YAC's future I am excited to learn and grow together and help others find or use their voices. I am excited for the change we will make and for the opportunities to grow as individuals and to also grow as a community." -YAC participant
EmpowerMT Youth Programs
Empowering People Inspiring Change (EPIC): Since 2003, EPIC has empowered middle school leaders to build friendships and end oppression and violence through after-school programming.
Empowering Youth Leadership Institute: A three-day summer camp provides youth and educators with an immersive leadership development experience. It trains participants as volunteer co-leaders of EmpowerMT programs.
Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is EmpowerMT’s youth-led board of directors.
Youth Forward & Be You Crew (LGBTQ+) Youth Forward (9th-12th graders) & Be You Crew (5th-8th graders) empower queer youth by providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth to connect and organize around relevant issues.
Association of Black, Indigenous, & Youth of Color (ABY) empowers BIPOC Youth by providing a safe space to cultivate resilience, learn a more inclusive history, elevate leadership, and build collective power toward racial justice.
STEPS TO SIGN UP FOR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Learn more from EmpowerMT by:
emailing youth@empowermt.org
Sign up here: Youth Programs.
Receive a confirmation email.
Attend group meetings. Have the time of your life. Change the world.
Skill-Building Opportunities (virtual opportunities available.)
Empowering Youth Leadership (High School)
This workshop helps students to recognize the misinformation they have learned about various groups, develop pride in identity, understand the personal impact of discrimination, and learn hands-on allyship tools for dealing effectively with prejudicial comments and behaviors.
Building Bridges, Activating Allies (Middle School)
This workshop is a participatory workshop that explores the types of bullying and mistreatment in school, provides an understanding of the root causes of violence, and develops nonviolent prevention, intervention, and allyship techniques.
All My Neighbors (Elementary)
The All My Neighbors workshop focuses on celebrating students' similarities and differences, exploring youth’s experiences of isolation and inclusion, and building peacekeeping skills to be an effective ally and make new friends.
Building an Inclusive Learning Environment (Educators)
This workshop is a participatory workshop for staff, educators, and administrators to build a climate of respect and inclusion –a crucial starting point towards ending discrimination within the school culture. Activities engage participants to strengthen respect and communication and offers ways to respond effectively to prejudicial remarks and/or behaviors from staff and students. This workshop seeks to deepen self-awareness, build shared language and understanding of oppression, develop skills for helpful dialogue around prejudicial remarks and systems of oppression, and identify strategies for creating an inclusive work and learning environment.
Building an Inclusive Learning Environment for LGBTQ+, Two Spirit, & Gender Diverse Youth (Educators)
This workshop takes the foundation of Building an Inclusive Learning Environment and centers the focus on supporting LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit youth. This workshop includes an overview of terminology, best practices, and proactive skills to foster allyship skills in educators. This workshop is rooted in the principle that every student should have the ability to reach their full academic potential in a safe learning environment.
NEW! Virtual Empowering Youth Leadership Series
This workshop opportunity is open to youth leaders across the state of Montana. The topics for each workshop will be guided by EmpowerMT's YAC. Our hope is that folx can take advantage of these free workshop opportunities for future work and leadership development. We hope to provide youth leaders that attend the series with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to help create a more equitable environment in their schools and community.
Empowering Youth Leadership Institute
EmpowerMT believes that every young person, educator, and community member deserves a safe and welcoming learning, work & service environment. Each year, EmpowerMT partners with Missoula County Public Schools and other surrounding school districts to empower a group of students, staff, and community members to be change-makers in their schools and communities. The goals of this three-day leadership camp are to strengthen individual leadership skills and empower participants to create positive change in their communities. After this workshop, participants have the option to co-lead our multi tiered skill-building offerings in K-12 schools across Montana. We believe there should be no financial barriers to empowering youth leadership. Therefore, the camp is FREE! OPI & PIR renewal credits and educator stipends are available, and food and lodging are included.
Other Leadership Opportunities
Montana GSA Network
Youth can make a lasting impact on school climates by facilitating a Gender & Sexuality Alliance! Gender & Sexuality Alliances (GSA) are in-school student-led clubs that provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, queer, questioning, and allied youth within their school and/or community. EmpowerMT is proud to act as the coordinator of the MT GSA Network. If you are interested in starting a GSA at your school, want support for your current GSA club, or are in need of resources, please email info@empowermt.org.
