Building Belonging, Leadership & Change

At EmpowerMT, we believe in healing-centered, youth-led leadership grounded in belonging, meaning, well-being, and purpose. From elementary classrooms to high school students, our programs equip young people with tools to understand identity, disrupt systemic oppression, and lead transformative change.

Youth & Schools

Spring 2026 Clubs

Registration is NOW OPEN!

Youth Programs Registration Form

Spring Semester groups will run from Feb. 2nd to May 1st

➡️ contact youth@empowermt.org with questions

Community Clubs that Foster Belonging

Youth Programs Registration Form

Community Club locations will be shared upon registration confirmation.

Weekly Mondays

Lunchtime

Target Range Middle School

(6th-8th grade)

*This is a closed group

EPIC is a youth leadership club offered after school for middle school-age youth. EPIC has been empowering young leaders in the Missoula community since 2003! The EPIC program seeks to break isolation and build allies across group lines, understand the causes of oppression, strengthen the connection to school through mentorships, and increase skills & confidence in diffusing conflict.

Tentatively Monthly Events

4:30-6:00 PM

Open to LGBTQ+ youth

(9th-12th grade)

The mission of Youth Forward (9th-12th grade) is to provide a safe and supportive space for LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit youth to connect with peers, discuss issues relevant to their lives, explore identity, and learn more about the ever-expanding LGBTQ+, Two-Spirit, & Gender diverse community and how other identities intersect. This space and the connections made within these groups are intended to empower and support queer youth leadership.

Weekly Tuesdays

4:30-6:00 PM

Open to LGBTQ+ youth AND allies

(5th-8th grade)

Middle school can feel overwhelming with new friends, challenges, and figuring out who you're becoming. Be You Crew (5th-8th grade) is a supportive community for LGBTQ+ youth AND allies to discover what makes them unique, build real friendships, and find a sense of belonging and purpose. Through fun activities and meaningful connections, youth will grow confidence, explore what matters most to them, and learn how they can make a difference in the world.

Tentatively Monthly Events

4:30-6:00 PM

Open to B.I.P.O.C youth

(8th-12th grade)

EmpowerMT recognizes that being a student of color in predominantly White schools is a very isolating experience and therefore wants to give BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) middle and high school youth an opportunity to connect with each other. This group allows students of color an opportunity to feel supported in their racial identity, learn a more racially diverse and inclusive history, and take action against mistreatment/discrimination.

Youth Programs and Events Calendar

Photo Credit: Alex Kim Photography

Empowering Youth Leadership Institute

Empowering Youth Leadership Institute is a FREE 3-day leadership camp offered to young people across Montana— incoming 9th graders and above. Facilitated by our Youth Advisory Council, participants engage in a curriculum that empowers positive identity development, critically analyzes systemic oppression, and equips participants with leadership skills to interrupt oppression through policy advocacy, positive communication skills, conflict solution strategies, relationship building, fostering belonging, and cultivating resilience.

EmpowerMT has hosted the Institute at beautiful Seeley Lake, Montana to center nature as a healing-centered strategy for 18 summers, equipping almost 700 young people with the skills, confidence, and connections to create positive change within themselves, their schools, and their communities. 

Application Link for 2026 goes live April 1st!

Reach out for more information

EmpowerMT’s Youth Leadership Pathway

EmpowerMT values all of our leaders and every level is important to each workshop and program. We are here to support youth goals to grow as a leader within our organization and beyond! Key opportunities to grow include:

  • Attend/ Co-lead EmpowerMT Workshops.

  • Attend EmpowerMT’s community youth programs (GSA, Association of BIPOC Youth, Youth Forward, Be You Crew, and EPIC).

  • Co-facilitate EmpowerMT’s community-clubs as a peer-facilitator.

  • Volunteer at community events and presentations such as Diversity Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Pride, Sunday Streets, Youth Advocacy Day, Outdoor Cinema etc.

  • Attend Advanced leadership development workshops to increase knowledge as an EmpowerMT leader.

  • Join EmpowerMT’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC).

Emerging Leader: Someone who has completed an EmpowerMT program, general training, or advanced leadership training. An emerging leader acts as a support person during training and workshops.

Advancing Leader: Someone who has completed an Advanced Leadership Training and is ready to facilitate at least two to three EmpowerMT training components, co-leading with a Senior Leader.

Senior Leader: Someone who has developed enough skills to lead any EmpowerMT training component, as well as assist in outline development, planning, and implementation of the training..

Interested in how to strengthen youth and adult partnerships at your organization or school?

We provide skill-building workshops & consulting.

Request Services

Photo Credit: Alex Kim Photography

Why We Do This

Youth leadership transforms schools and communities. EmpowerMT helps dismantle oppressive systems through skill-building, youth mentorship, and collective action—seeking long-term change, equity, and justice

For Educators & Youth Workers

We offer professional development workshops that build inclusive, healing-centered school environments.

Topics include:

  • Fostering Belonging in Youth Spaces

  • LGBTQ+ Inclusion & Affirmation

  • Identity & Implicit Bias in the Classroom

Request custom trainings or join public workshops.

Request Services

GSA Network Support
Whether you're a student starting a GSA or an educator looking to strengthen one, EmpowerMT provides tools and support to help GSAs thrive.

We offer:

  • Resources for student leaders and faculty advisors

  • Facilitation and leadership training

  • Inclusion & advocacy workshops

  • Mentorship and connection to statewide youth networks

Start or Support a GSA

Voices from Our Community

“I’m always impressed by EmpowerMT’s student leaders who show us how minds and hearts can change…there’s so much we have in common.”
— Denise Juneau, former Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction

“For YAC’s future I am excited…to help others find or use their voices…and grow as a community.”
— Youth Advisory Council member

Photo Credit: Alex Kim Photography

Get Involved

Whether you're a parent/guardian, student, educator, or community group—we'd love to connect

Reach out with questions or partnership ideas

Be a Part of Winter.

EmpowerMT in the spring.

Youth & Schools in the summer.

Join us in the fall.

Developing Leaders Across Montana since 1998