Youth Leadership Council Bluffs is a program designed to develop and educate youth to become socially-minded, active young adults. The program helps youth develop relationships and liaisons in the community that will encourage them to seek employment in the area. Students apply as high school sophomores and participate in the program their junior year.
Youth Leadership Council Bluffs (YLCB) has been developed through the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce with a steering committee of community members, which include educators and community stakeholders. YLCB is an exciting opportunity for Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County to retain mindful, intelligent, and enthusiastic youth in our community. This 8-month leadership program invests in high school Juniors through teaching them about community-minded subjects. These subjects include:
- Leadership and Teamwork training
- Government
- Heritage and Culture
- Human Service
- Economic Development
- Education
There is a constant need in any community to continually strengthen its young population who represent future employees, entrepreneurs, homeowners/renters, families, and a new tax base. There are lots of reasons youth leave the place where they were raised - some of which includes the availability of jobs, basic quality of life, and cost of living. The challenge for Council Bluffs and surrounding communities is to educate youth about opportunities and advantages that already exist and future plans to grow within each community. It is the main goal of YLCB to provide area youth with a hands-on opportunity to take part in local social and civic functions in order to retain them in our community.
YLCB is designed to create a two-fold investment. Community members and stakeholders invest in the development and education of youth in order to produce socially minded, productive young adults. The community members will support and encourage area youth to excel while lending guidance to find high-quality jobs after secondary education or college studies. In turn, youth become invested in the community because of their experiences and the relationships they have built. Young adults will return to a place where they already have networking ties to find employment and is a secure and safe place to raise a family at a reasonable cost.
Visit Youth Leadership Council Bluffs on Facebook.