EVERY TEEN HAS
A STORY TO TELL
At Youth Communication, writing is a pathway to self-discovery and connection.
We help teens transform their lived experiences into powerful writing that builds confidence, wellbeing, and the skills to thrive in school, career, and in life.
We equip educators and mentors with curricula and training to harness those stories to build connection, belonging and strengthen learning communities.
Together, youth voices and supportive adults create a ripple effect of understanding and opportunity that reaches far beyond the page.
featured PROGRAMS and resources
95% of educators state that our programs help students develop social and emotional skills
our initiatives have reached more than two million teens
92% of educators feel more equipped to establish a space for students to discuss challenging issues
Happening Now
Story of the Week: teens speak out on AI
NYC has enacted one of the country’s strictest set of AI guidelines for schools, a one-year moratorium for K-8th grade and narrow limits on AI use in HS, including pilot programs for 5% of students. YC writers have been discussing and writing about AI over the last few months, and they are skeptical. They note a loss, as AI creeps into their classes and social lives, in connection and intellectual rigor. They don’t want shortcuts; they would rather learn to think. They also know that AI will be part of their future and they can’t ignore it.
from the archive: teens write about 9/11
Twenty-five years ago, the attacks of 9/11 weren’t history for New York City teens—they were the terrifying reality of that day and the aftermath. Youth Communication published vivid accounts by more than two dozen teens that now make history come alive. Students write about losing family members, barely escaping from the buildings and the neighborhood, and how the attacks disrupted their sense of security. Several students were alarmed by the anti-Muslim vitriol and worried about the U.S. being drawn into new wars.
free professional development for NYCPS staff: respect for all
YC is once again partnering with the NYCPS’ OSYD to provide culturally responsive professional development through their Respect for All program. This program is of no cost and provides 2 CTLE credits to all NYCPS staff. All sessions will be remote through Zoom. The sessions topics are wide ranging and include: identity and belonging, supporting youth of immigrant families, and helping teens manage stress. Register now for sessions provided throughout the school year.
The lessons provided in the YC program were well-organized and thought-provoking. I appreciated listening to and reading about my students’ views on how to address the circumstances of the stories we read and for how they were not judgmental of the others or each other while engaging in student-led discussions of the stories.
— nyc public school TEACHER