* CYL Leadership Circle*
Join CYL at our Leadership Circle 2026 Session 1
A special Leadership Lab this month
Join Colorado Young Leaders as we launch our first Leadership Circle of the 2026 year. Leadership Circles are CYL spaces where young people come together to connect, ask real questions, and take action on issues that matter in their communities.
This month’s Leadership Lab will be a little different, but still very much a Lead Lab.
Colorado Young Leaders is teaming up with Youth Service America (YSA) to combine our Leadership Circle with a statewide conversation that’s part of a national effort called A New Era of Youth Service. As we look ahead to America’s 250th birthday in 2026, this Lab gives youth a chance to shape what youth service and leadership should look like next.
Right now, only 1 in 4 young people regularly participate in their communities. That means millions of youth are missing out on opportunities to serve, lead, and have a voice. This Leadership Lab creates space for youth to share what helps them get involved, what gets in the way, and how we can make participation easier and more meaningful.
Our focus will be on community engagement and youth leadership, using conversation about mental health as a starting point to explore how connection, belonging, and purpose can support youth well-being.
TOPIC
Community Engagement + Youth Leadership
(with mental health as a connected outcome of engagement)
What you’ll do in the Leadership Circle
Session 1: Leaders Take Action
Explore what leadership looks like when young people show up in their communities. We’ll use conversation about mental health as a jumping-off point to talk about why connection, belonging, and having a purpose matter, and how taking action can support your well-being and confidence as a leader.
Session 2: Cause Connect
Hear from community leaders and organizations working alongside young people to support mental health through connection, service, and civic engagement. You’ll learn what’s happening in our community and how getting involved can make a real difference for you and others.
Session 3: Impact in Action
Get out into the community and serve with a local organization. You’ll experience how taking action, working with others, and giving back can build connection, purpose, and positive mental health for youth and the communities we’re part of.
This Leadership Lab blends conversation, learning, and hands-on action while giving youth a real voice in shaping the future of service and leadership in Colorado and beyond.
