Seven regional, day-long institutes are being set up, throughout the state of Minnesota, in June and July of 2009. We will gather youth and adults who are interested in being "agents of change" in their city, region, state, and/or nation. Participants will learn the skills to work within their community to create and sustain a grassroots initiative that will make like better for others. This institute will provide the participants with the skills to:

1. assess the capacity that exists within their community;
2. creating meaningful and measurable connections throughout the community; and
3. follow through and evaluate the progress on their plan of actions.

Participants will be invited to attend the “youth track” of MNCASA’s Annual Meeting and Training Symposium, held in Grand Rapids, in September. Here they will further their competency in the work of effective social change. The youth track will be fully integrated into the Annual Meeting and youth will be full participants.

In addition, participants will be invited to the “youth track” of the National MNCASA Prevention Summit, held in Saint Paul, MN in December. We will follow a similar schedule as the September Annual Meeting, with a parallel youth track leading to a fully integrated summit. By having youth present we hope further compel adults to be more effective advocates.