Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York’s Peer Trainers are a select group of Youth advocates who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advocacy, and desire to engage other New York City youth conversations around community wellbeing and issues that affect them. They utilize the skills learned through CCC’s YouthAction NYC programs to develop interactive, fun and educational advocacy workshops aimed at teaching middle and high school students to become effective advocates in their communities.

Throughout the school year, peer trainers receive training to become equitable facilitators. They learn to utilize asset-based language instead of deficit-based language, create inclusive learning environments for individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and enhance their mediation skills.

All of this hard work is cumulated into the various workshops we offer throughout the school year.

Workshops

• Introduction to Advocacy: Identify, define and practice all of the difference forms of advocacy.
• Community Mapping & Data: Learn to utilize CCC’s Keeping Track database to gain a holistic understanding of the needs and assets in your community. Use the data collected to compare and contrast with lived experience.
• Intro to New York City Government & Budget: Learn about the NYC government structure and how each city agency/office work together to ensure services and resources are available to residents. learn about the New York City budget process and timeline. Understand the best times and actions to take for both budgetary and legislative advocacy to address your community’s
  needs.

Please note that our peer trainers will start facilitating workshops in November. Any requests for workshops will be considered for November and thereafter.

If your school group or youth organization is interested in learning more about advocacy from our Peer Trainers, please fill out the form to your right, be sure to include as much detail as possible. You may also contact Adama Diallo, YouthAction NYC Program Coordinator, at Adiallo@cccnewyork.org.

“I am humbled that I was given the chance to teach other students, like myself, about advocacy and civic engagement. Once the trainees understand the material, they have the tools they need to start their own campaigns, becoming a new generation of leaders in their communities. It’s like the age-old saying: Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime.”
–Adam Rivera, Peer Trainer since 2011