About NJ YMCA Youth and Government
The NJ YMCA Youth and Government program provides students in middle and high school with the opportunity to represent and serve their communities through model government, leadership and professional development, advocacy, and service-learning.
Through its participation in the National YMCA Youth and Government initiative, student leaders also attend the annual YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs, Youth Governors Conference, and National Advocacy Days. We are continuing to build our capacity for mentorship and internship programs with former Alumni, integrate Days of Service to ensure our communities are at the core of our work, and above all else continue to be a community that embraces all people and encourages them to be brave, speak from their heart, and honor the YMCA four core values: honesty, caring, respect, responsibility.
Volunteer Leadership
Unique among peer programs, our CE programs rely on the support and mentorship of alumni volunteers to guide the officers' design, plan, and execution of each conference. Our volunteers' dedication to the program, ensuring that each delegate has an experience that brings them back year after year, is one of the ways the YAG community stands above other leadership or debate programs. Youth and Government embodies servant leadership, from the YMCA to our volunteers. Each year, countless alumni give up their time and energy, despite being full-time students, employees, or beginning new phases of life. They choose to keep returning and giving back to the community that taught them so much.