Centering the voices of youth

The Youth Action Team was created by a group of high school students invested in centering the voices of youth in decision making within the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea communities. The mission of the Youth Action Team is to connect youth to the CSU Spur campus and to work alongside CSU Spur staff and partners to complete projects of their choosing. Youth are compensated for their time and have worked on projects building equitable career pathways, highlighting small businesses, addressing homelessness, improving food access, and more.

2023-24 Youth Action Team

Recruitment for the 2023-24 Youth Action Team takes place Sept. 4-May 30. Meetings will occur every other Thursday from 5-7 p.m. Most meetings will take place at CSU Spur, located at 4777 National Western Drive.

Requirements

  • High school student in the fall of 2023
  • Willing to work on a team
  • Able to attend at least 15 meetings  
  • Able to attend in-person meetings at CSU Spur
  • Students that live or attend school in Globeville and Elyria-Swansea encouraged to apply

Compensation

Students will be compensated $25 for each session they attend. By attending all 24 sessions, students have the ability to make up to $600 over the course of the school year.

How to apply

Fill out a CSU Spur Youth Action Team application by Sept. 13 (new participants) or Sept. 8 (returning participants). Reach out to yatyouthactionteam@gmail.com with any questions

Meeting schedule

Meetings will be held Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. at CSU Spur unless otherwise noted.

  • Thursday meeting dates (subject to change): Sept. 14, Oct. 5, Oct. 19, Nov. 2, Nov. 16, Nov. 30 (online), Dec. 14 (online), Jan. 4, Jan. 25, Feb. 8, Feb. 22, March 7, March 21, April 4, April 18, May 2, May 16, May 30
  • Optional days: Saturday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Nov. 11
Yellow Spur logo

Are you interested in joining the Youth Action Team?

Email yatyouthactionteam@gmail.com to learn more.

Since 2017

2017

CSU & BRS BECOME PARTNERS

CSU System and Bruce Randolph School signed a MOU in 2017, after several years of working together. The commitment to the partnership has created a pipeline of each grade level engaging with the university in a different way – ranging from campus visits to in-school programs to college readiness work.

2019

YOUTH MEMORY PROJECT

CSU and History Colorado collaborated with Bruce Randolph School freshmen and sophomores throughout a semester to create a Youth Memory Project, where students interviewed a close friend or family member and shared their stories of growing up in north Denver. The project now lives within the history archives at History Colorado.

2020

YOUTH ACTION TEAM CREATED

Eleven youth were selected to be part of the first Youth Action Team cohort and developed an internship program — a community project that benefited the GES community, connected neighborhood youth to the National Western Center and CSU Spur, and set the framework for future Youth Action Team cohorts to continue engaging with the campuses.

2021

Cohort 2: Small business flyer

The Youth Action Team focused on understanding community needs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their project for the year included a small business brochure flyer that they passed out at community events and the grand opening of the CSU Spur Vida building.

2022

Cohort 3: Clothing drive

The Youth Action Team focused on understanding homelessness in their community and how to help their neighbors experiencing homelessness. Their project for the year included a clothing donation drive benefiting Denver Rescue Mission, an organization of their choosing.

2023

Cohort 4: Food access

The Youth Action Team focused on food insecurity and help with food access. Their projects included creating a Food Access Directory, organizing their own community food drive, and planting crops in partnership with The Growhaus in the Community Food Justice Garden at CSU Spur.

Youth Action Team partners

The YAT was created with the support from organizations at the National Western Center.

Questions? Email yatyouthactionteam@gmail.com to learn more.