Calling all youth and youth service providers!

In April 2008, Youth Service America (YSA) released a guide entitled Effective Practices for Engaging At-Risk Youth in Service providing effective practices, steps, research, and commentary for service-learning practitioners and public officials to more successfully involve at-risk youth in service. Now, co-author Sejal Hathi and YSA are seeking to expand the publication to include stories of at-risk youth who have surmounted challenges to contribute back to their communities, as well as tools and resources for youth themselves to become inspired and become engaged.

YSA seeks stories of youth who have overcome at-risk behavior or, have begun to heal from it, by engaging in service and finding fulfillment in giving back. These youth may then be featured in the book to be developed celebrating their example and their service.  If you would like to become a part of this endeavor, please send all submissions, questions, and comments to amutima@ysa.org. Submissions will be accepted until 5:00pmEST August 15th, 2008.

Submission Guidelines

• Stories must be no longer than 1,500 words
• Individuals can submit multiple stories; however, each story must feature a different youth or group of youth
• Stories must be submitted via email.
• Do not include supplemental attachments, for example, pictures or brochures
• Send each story using the youth’s name and the location as the file name, for example: Angeline Mutima_Washington DC.doc. If you wish to keep the name of the young person confidential, submit the story with the organization or group the youth is affiliated with and location, for example: YMCA DC_ Washington DC.doc.
• PLEASE INCLUDE in the text of the email and in the attached document:
  • Name, age of at-risk youth
  • Name of author
  • Phone Number and Email Address at which the author or featured youth can be contacted
  • City, State of youth
  • Organization or Group with which the youth has served
  • Dates of Service
  • Make a copy for your own records

Content Guidelines

• According to the U.S. Code Collection, an at-risk youth can be defined as an individual younger than 21, who is at the risk of becoming--or has become--a drug or alcohol abuser; economically disadvantaged; a victim of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse; pregnant; a perpetrator of violent or delinquent acts; a drop-out from school, or an under-performing student at school; a victim of mental health problems; a victim of long-term physical pain due to injury
• Each story must feature a different at-risk youth, or group of at-risk youth, who has overcome or is overcoming significant challenges to become confident and engaged citizens and contribute back to their communities
• Examples of such challenges include, but are not limited to those mentioned above in the definition of at-risk youth
• Each youth or group of youth discussed must have engaged in volunteerism, community service, or social change projects to facilitate rehabilitation, remediation, or personal healing; or, this service must have boosted or otherwise contributed to the individual or group's growth and maturation

Follow-Up

• Co-author Sejal Hathi and Youth Service America will contact the author and/or featured youth (based on provided contact information) if their story is being considered for publication.
• If you have any questions, please email sejal@comcast.net or amutima@ysa.org.