Student Groups | Youth Democracy Inst

Civic Leadership Experiences for Student Groups

Youth Democracy Institute offers interactive civic leadership workshops for schools, student groups, and educational travel programs. Through simulations, discussions, and hands-on activities, students explore government, public policy, civic participation, and leadership while connecting real-world experiences to democracy in action. Workshops can be delivered as standalone sessions, classroom experiences, or enhancements to educational travel itineraries.

Advocacy Prep

Training

Prepare students for meaningful Capitol Hill visits. Participants learn how Congress works, craft thoughtful questions, and build confidence engaging policymakers, helping them connect their experiences in Washington to real civic participation.

Public Policy

Lab

Students explore real‑world issues they care about, learn how policy shapes those issues, and practice youth‑led democratic decision‑making by weighing tradeoffs and presenting solutions.

Mock Congress Simulation

Students step into the roles of lawmakers, debate ideas, and vote on proposals. This hands-on simulation demonstrates how legislation develops while strengthening collaboration, critical thinking, and understanding of democratic decision-making.

Coalitions for Change

Students explore the shared histories and alliances that helped secure the 1964 Civil Rights Act, examining how collective action expanded opportunity for all, then work together to develop their own policy solutions inspired by that legacy.

Restorative Leadership Lab

Students strengthen communication and conflict resolution skills while exploring restorative justice practices that build accountability, belonging, and respectful engagement across differences over punitive discipline.

Digital Citizenship Lab

Students analyze how online behavior shapes civic understanding, evaluate sources for credibility, and create responsible social media messages to inform, engage, and connect communities around civic issues in today’s digital landscape.

Power Building Lab

Students examine how coalitions, institutions, and community networks influence decision-making, then develop strategies to build relationships, mobilize stakeholders, and advance civic and policy goals effectively.

Public Testimony Lab

Students learn how to prepare and deliver effective public testimony, communicate policy positions clearly, and engage decision-makers through persuasive speaking grounded in research, lived experience, and civic participation.

create a 400 x 400 px of college students learning government foundations sitting at a boa

Public Service Careers

Students explore careers in public service and community leadership, examining how educators, public employees, advocates, and policymakers work together to solve public challenges and strengthen democracy.

Leadership & Belonging Lab

Students explore how identity, empathy, and respect shape healthy communities while developing leadership skills that build belonging, strengthen relationships, and foster positive school culture.

Democracy in Action

Students explore how elections work, learn voter registration and civic participation processes, and examine how individuals engage responsibly in democracy through informed participation, public dialogue, and community involvement.

Plan Your Experience