Changemakers
Our Changemakers Institute gives NYC teens the opportunity to delve deeply into a broad spectrum of civic and political topics. Through weekly sessions during the summer and bi-monthly sessions during the school year, participants explore the intersection of individual activism, collective action, and electoral politics.
Issue-based & Youth Led
Young people largely remain excluded from political decision-making, despite being impacted by the actions of individuals who are far removed from the reality of what it means to be a young person in this country. By blending education with action, YVote’s Changemakers programs provide an outlet for young people to collectively take ownership of their civic journeys.
Our youth facilitators—all Changemakers Institute alumni—understand the unique challenges faced by young people and provide fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to civic engagement. By focusing on specific civic issues like criminal justice, mental health, and the environment, facilitators provide a structured framework for participants to explore their interests and deeply engage with policy areas that resonate with them personally. Through this stipended program, participants emerge with strengthened political identities, ready to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Program Highlight
We’re welcoming 50+ Changemakers across all five NYC boroughs to the program this summer! From July through mid-August, participants will gather weekly to learn about the structure of local government, past youth-led social movements, and historical barriers to voting, while developing important activist tools like community mapping and effective storytelling.
To prepare for a lifetime of civic engagement, Changemakers put these tools into practice first during the program by writing testimonies to elected officials, conducting issue-based canvassing, registering new voters, and more. The majority of our summer Changemakers continue on during the school-year program, further developing their civic skills!
Support 2026 Changemakers
The YVote Changemakers Institute provides stipends to all participants and youth facilitators, ensuring our civic programs remain accessible and investing in the future of civic leadership. Will you cover the cost of a Changemaker stipend or donate to our (very important) pizza fund?