Futuro Latino Hispanic Community Council’s Youth Leadership Development Program is based on these principles:

 

• Young people are a community asset, not a problem.

• Building meaningful relationships across race, class, gender, sexual identity and generations will strengthen the existing social capital of young people in low-income communities.

• Youth leadership development is a process, not an event. Caring adults need to invest in young people over a period of years.

• Young people need to be actively engaged in community change at all levels, from the street corner to the boardroom.

• Society must acknowledge and embrace the idea that youth are talented and capable of leading community change.

• Young people must lead positive change themselves in order for it to succeed.

• Leadership programs must identify, nurture and support more than a talented elite.The process of developing young leaders begins with learning how to learn.