National Youth Leadership Initiative

CADCA's National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI) is a component of the the CADCA Institute's National Coalition Academy and, like the Academy, requires completion of an application process and acceptance prior to participation.

The NYLI helps coalitions build their capacity to foster youth leadership in the design, implementation, and evaluation of action strategies addressing community problems. It is held twice a year, in conjunction with CADCA's National Leadership Forum and Mid-Year Training Institute.

During the week-long training, youth and their adult advisors learn how to help community coalitions be more effective in producing community change. This training builds the relationship between the youth leader and the adult coalition coach. They will learn about the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Strategic Prevention Framework, logic models, interventions, evaluation and sustainability.

The NYLI offers highly interactive sessions that teach what is required to create and nurture the growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions. It better equips youth and adults to develop strategic action plans that clearly define the strategies that young people will carry out to address the problems and goals their individual coalition is striving to affect.

For more information, contact the Training and Technical Assistance Department by e-mail at training@cadca.org or by calling 1-800-54-CADCA, ext. 225.