YJC Workshops

The YJC has developed leadership, organizing and movement history curriculum, training and mentorship opportunities for our members and the larger movement to end the school-to-jail track and challenge mass incarceration.
Contact us to set up a training.
Courses include:

  1. History Timeline copy300 Street University
     Builds leadership skills of system and alleged gang-involved youth both at our site, at community and conference settings and in lock-ups.  The course includes hands-on activities to develop understanding, skills and experience in systems of oppression (racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism/homophobia, xenophobia, adultism, etc.), history of policing, incarceration and youth policy, organizing tactics and action, avoiding further system contact, goals planning, public speaking, research, writing, understanding government, power analysis, and public policy development and advocacy.
  2. Troublemakers
    Movement history, including the tools and tactics used by organizers to resist unjust policies, dismantle oppressive institutions, and heal and liberate communities.
  3. Legal Ed PalmdaleConstitutional Law/Legal Education
    Giving participants the skills and information needed to understand, protect and exercise their legal rights.   Topics covered include police stops in schools and on the street, stop and frisk, search and seizure, gang suppression laws – gang databases and injunctions, understanding and negotiating court from arrest through sentencing, immigration stops and deportation hearings, and post-conviction (preparing for appeals and Parole Board hearings).
  4. RealSearch
    Introduces participants to the history of research and its impact on poor communities and communities of color, to build research skills, and to support the development and distribution of a original analysis, data and solutions.  During the past year, original research on reentry, billing of families by Probation for the time their child is in custody, and police budgets has greatly advanced the work and its credibility.
  5. YJC's First Peace & Justice Summit To Address Violence Without Throwing Youth AwayTransformative Justice
     Building skills within youth, families, schools and neighborhoods to resolve conflict, prevent and address violence, reduce harm and facilitate healing.  This work includes Peace and Justice Summits to promote truces, cease fires and hard core intervention to stop both street and police violence, as well as child soldier workshops to change the framing of crime and violence to promote community and system accountability, as opposed to labeling, punishing and holding responsible only youth and families.
  6. RESPECT
    Workshops to support schools in learning and implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Transformative Justice intended to reduce school suspensions, expulsions, arrests and push-out; increase student attendance; and create a school culture that builds and maintains unity, equity and appreciation for all students, families and staff.
  7. Arts for Action
    Workshops and art parties to create street theater, music, poetry, posters/banners, silk screened t-shirts and posters, stencils, slap tags, buttons and flyers to support campaign organizing and political education.  This also includes Hiphoplogy, workshops, battles and exhibitions to develop youth skills and performances in the four elements of Hip Hop (breaking, d-jaying, MC-ing/rhyming and graffiti/mural and stencil making).