Flinn Young Leaders, a program of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation, emphasizes the value of civic learning and helps teens build necessary skills and knowledge as they imagine unique paths to civic responsibility and making a difference in their communities.
The principal initiative of Flinn Young Leaders is Leadership, Civics, and You, a facilitated learning experience and guidebook to help students explore the kind of leaders they are, or want to be, and how that leadership can impact the world for the better, inviting participants to think about themselves, think about their communities’ needs, and make action plans to get involved in the issues they care about the most.
Since launching in 2022, Leadership, Civics, and You has been presented in multiple settings, including at Arizona School for the Arts, Deer Valley Unified School District, and Phoenix Union High School District, after being tested with incoming Flinn Scholars.
District and school leaders interested in bringing the program to their schools should contact Dawn Wallace.
Leadership, Civics, and You is also an approved civics learning program for high-school students who are pursuing the Arizona Department of Education’s Seal of Civics Literacy. Students who complete all requirements for the Seal are recognized with a seal on their graduation diploma and a notation on their transcripts.
Youth civic leadership is critical in influencing decisions that affect our communities, our state, and our country. When young people participate in civic life by enhancing their knowledge about issues—through civic education, active engagement, and leadership opportunities—they also play an active role in shaping their own futures. Youth leadership leads to increased academic performance and builds professional skills and networks into the workforce.
Our initiatives are built on the following principles:
- Civic Duty: Gain skills and knowledge about all levels of governance and policymaking in preparation to participate meaningfully in civic life and democracy.
- Civic Engagement: Learn about one’s role in society and understand the value of connection and collaboration across different perspectives and viewpoints.
- Civic Discourse: Model best practices on how to engage in political, economic and social conversations.
- Civic Leadership: Inspire youth to become agents of positive change and make a difference in their communities through volunteerism, public service, and political activism.
Learn about past youth-leadership workshops:
