Ella Baker Institute

Intersecting the key skills and mindsets of community organizers and entrepreneurs, the Young People’s Leadership Cooperative (YPLC) will position young people to identify challenges in their communities and design then implement enterprising solutions that foster community well-being.

In alignment with Ella Baker Institute’s commitment to community-responsive pedagogy (CRP), the Young People’s Leadership Cooperative’s approach spans CRP’s three domains: relationships, relevance and responsibility. YPLC supports young people in building the necessary relationships to take responsibility for their own communities and address issues most relevant to their lives. Through community organizing, leadership, and entrepreneurial skill development, young people engage with curriculum, participatory action research, resources, and industry connections to solve community-level issues. Rather than waiting on others to make change, YPLC positions those most proximate to community challenges to take community well-being into their own hands.