Youth Council

Youth Council

Supporting the individual and collective healing and empowerment of young people in Thurston County through navigation and peer support.

Youth Council is currently offering a monthly Social Justice Movie Night on the second Friday of every month at 6:30. These will be held online until it is safe to meet in person. Learn more and register here!

Who is Youth Council for?

12–17 year olds who are looking to build community and are open to learning more about Social Justice. In all YWCA programs, we center girls, trans, and non-binary youth, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) youth.

What happens in Youth Council?

Youth Driven mentoring and coaching from a Navigator who helps participants set goals and get connected to resources

Fun opportunities to build community with other participants

Participation in Youth Circle, an evidence based peer support group focused on building skills around self and community care. Topics are responsive to participant needs and could include communication, boundaries, self-confidence, body image, and coping with stress and anxiety.

Youth Council Goals

Individual and collective healing
Building a culture of community care
Helping participants gain skills, build personal power, and identify and attain goals related to their needs and strengths

Frameworks we draw from

Social Justice
Trauma Informed Care
Transformational Relationships
Motivational Interviewing
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills

How to I enroll or refer someone to Youth Council? Many of our referrals come from School Counselors and Community Youth Service’s Juvenile Diversion Program. Referrals will be accepted from other sources as space allows. If you are an interested parent/guardian or youth, refer yourself or your child and we will contact you for an intake interview.

Contact Monica Anney, Youth Council Navigator at MAnney@ywcaofolympia.org or 360.352.0593 to learn more.

Who collaborates to provide Youth Council? Youth Council is a project of Thurston County Juvenile Court and Juvenile Detention, Thurston County Public Defense, Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Community Youth Services, and YWCA Olympia.

Who funds the program? Youth Council is supported by the Cascade Pacific Action Alliance’s Medicaid Transformation Project, and individual donors like YOU.

How can I invest in youth? Your tax-deductible donation will provide a safe space to develop healthy and resilient youth that thrive!

INVEST IN YOUTH!