Youth Civic Engagement & Park Advocacy Initiative

In partnership with All Children Thrive California, Pomona's Promise, and the Southern California Service Corps, this youth-led community engagement initiative successfully empowered Pomona youth to advocate for healthier, safer, and more accessible parks and outdoor spaces throughout the community.

The program focused on giving young people a meaningful voice in shaping the future of Pomona’s public spaces through civic participation, community research, and digital storytelling.

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Program Highlights

Participating youth collaborated to:

• Develop community surveys focused on parks, recreation, and neighborhood needs

• Identify priorities and concerns related to outdoor spaces and youth resources

• Learn how to structure and conduct effective community surveys

• Gather community feedback from peers, residents, and local stakeholders

• Explore leadership, communication, and advocacy skills

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Digital Media & Storytelling Training

As part of the initiative, participants were trained to use the Greenfly app to document community experiences through photos and videos. Youth participants captured stories from local parks, interviewed community members, and created media content highlighting both community strengths and areas for improvement.

This hands-on experience introduced participants to real-world digital communication tools used by organizations and companies around the world.

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Educational Stipends & Youth Development

Youth participants who successfully completed the program were eligible to receive educational stipends in recognition of their time, leadership, and contributions to the initiative.

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Community Impact

The program successfully fostered youth leadership, civic engagement, and community collaboration by encouraging young people to become active participants in local decision-making. Through research, storytelling, and advocacy, participants helped elevate community voices and contribute to conversations about improving quality of life in Pomona neighborhoods.