Youth Collaboratory Fellowship
Find your people. Build your power.
You know that feeling when you look around your school, your neighborhood, or your town and think, there has to be a better way? That feeling matters. It’s often the first sign of civic power waking up.
The Youth Collaboratory Fellowship is Citizen University’s program for high school students who care about their communities and want to learn how to strengthen civic culture — with others, over time, and rooted in real places.
The Fellowship is a six-month experience that blends learning, relationship-building, and hands-on action. Fellows get a deep dive into how civic power works, design real projects in their communities to put their new power literacy into practice, and join a national network of civic innovators to serve as thought partners and collaborators.
YC made me realize power isn’t some adult-only thing. It’s something we already have. I just needed a place to unlock it.
Upcoming Youth Collaboratory cohorts
The Youth Collaboratory Fellowship is a place-based program. Each year, the cohort is made up of students from a particular part of the country.
Current cohort: Washington State
2026-2027 Cohort: California
Right now, applications for Youth Collaboratory are closed — sign up for our CU Newsletter (from the homepage) to hear about upcoming cohorts.
Get on the Interest List
Are you an educator, youth-serving organization, parent, or student interested in the Youth Collaboratory? Fill out this short form to let us know. The interest list will help us shape where Youth Collaboratory goes next.
Start building power literacy now
You don’t need to wait for a cohort to begin practicing civic power.
The Power Walk
A short, guided experience that helps you notice how power shows up in everyday life — in your school, your community, and your relationships. It’s simple, grounded, and often changes how people see themselves as civic actors.
Explore More Stories from Citizen University
Learn about what civic catalysts all across the country are doing to activate civic faith and encourage participation in their place.
Questions? We’re here.
If you’re a student, parent, educator, or mentor with questions about Youth Collaboratory, future cohorts, or whether this might be a fit, reach out anytime.
Email: [email protected]
We’ll do our best to respond and point you toward next steps that actually make sense.
Youth Collaboratory student Ciera Roseboro shares how claiming your power can come from helping others claim theirs.
Anishka Durvasula stepped up as a civic catalyst after noticing a lack of current events coverage at her high school.
Since she was young, Harmonie has been increasing her literacy in power and using it for good.
Ellie Friedman shares how she built power — and intergenerational relationships — as a member of the Youth Collaboratory.
