FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

Thank you to all who applied!


Eligibility:

  • Must currently be a high school sophomore

  • Must be able to travel to two meetings (weekday evenings) per month in NYC

  • Must be willing to learn about new perspectives and share yours

Application Process:

Step 1: Fill out the application below. Please note that the form cannot be saved until complete, so you will lose your progress if you leave the page. Click here to preview the short response questions.
Step 2: Send this form to your adult reference. The letter of recommendation must be filled out by a teacher, principal, guidance counselor, or youth professional.

Note: Upon receiving your application, you will be asked to complete a group interview with other teen applicants. This helps us get to know you better!

If you have any questions, please contact us. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. Our application review process is rolling: applications are considered in the order in which they are received.

Click here to see the 2024-2025 Fellowship meeting schedule!


YouthBridge-NY WILL BE MEETING IN-PERSON FOR THE 2024-2025 Fellowship Year!

Click here for the PDF version of our flyer!

“I feel more deeply about diversity because now I know that there are people who are different than me and still believe in the same things. Even though people aren’t from the same place in terms of religion or race, they can still come together to make change happen.” - Fellow 2017

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The heart of YouthBridge-NY is its two-year Fellowship program, where high school juniors and seniors from diverse backgrounds participate in intensive trainings on leadership and diversity.

The fellowship kicks off in late August with an overnight orientation retreat, where participants get to know each other through team-building games, outdoor activities, and workshops on topics like diversity, social justice, and leadership.

Throughout the first year of the program, first-year teen Fellows participate in skill-building workshops and team-based learning opportunities; second year Bridgers are immersed in experiential learning opportunities and mentoring with successful professionals.

Each YouthBridge-NY fellowship year concludes with an End-of-Year Celebration and Bridger Graduation in June. In addition, throughout the fellowship, Fellows and Bridgers are invited to participate in volunteer opportunities, group outings, and other special events. As YouthBridge-NY alumni will tell you, the varied aspects of the YouthBridge-NY fellowship come together to create lasting friendships and an amazing network of support for years to come.

Applications are only open to 10th graders for participation during their junior and senior years. Rolling admissions: applications are considered in the order in which they are received.

“If I had YouthBridge before high school, my whole experience would have been different… I would have been comfortable within myself and had the skills to socialize with other people. I had a problem before, I wasn’t speaking up as much as I should have. I used to just sit there…I didn’t know how to speak up, but now I do.” - Bridger 2016

FELLOWSHIP

F I R S T  Y E A R :  F E L L O W S

In the first year, 35 Fellows meet as a whole group one evening a month for interactive skill-building workshops and team activities, in which they:

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  • Learn how to solve real problems together

  • Learn how to resolve conflicts in school or among peers

  • Promote diversity and eliminate discrimination and stereotyping

  • Network and meet with top NYC professionals

  • Learn how to create a social justice project from scratch

  • Volunteer for community causes, like cleaning up parks and building houses

  • Make new friends from diverse backgrounds!

 

Fellows also select and commit to 1 of 3 social action teams, meeting on a second night each month to work together in smaller groups on a long-term project:

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  1. Health Care Disparities: Fellows will be trained to understand how different social factors affect health outcomes with a particular focus on vulnerable populations. They will gain insight on the issues and struggles that vulnerable populations face due to conditions outside of their control. They will learn about initiatives that work to eliminate health disparities and to promote more accessible and higher quality care to underserved communities.

  2. Criminal Justice Reform: Fellows will explore the history of mass incarceration, how the criminal justice system influences and shapes one’s life, and the challenges that continue to arise within a spectrum of inequalities. What is the narrative surrounding criminal justice, and how can we rewrite it? They will learn how to combat these issues and become an advocate for an empowered, uplifted community.

  3. Food Justice: Fellows will deep dive into the world of food and income inequalities. There is plenty of food in our world where no one should go hungry and no one should have two or more jobs and still be struggling to survive. They will explore why these inequities exist, what systems are in place right now that either combat or contribute to these inequities, and we will discuss ways that we can advocate and make a change for a more just and equal society.

“YouthBridge has matured me, I’ve grown. It used to be that when offensive things were said I would just be annoyed and take it to heart, but I wouldn't do anything about it, I was being a bystander and didn’t act on it. Now if I see something wrong, I take action." - Fellow 2017

S E C O N D   Y E A R :   B R I D G E R S

In the second year, Fellows become Bridgers and participate in advanced skill-building workshops and hands-on learning. 

Bridgers meet monthly to:

  • Meet one-on-one with NYC professionals

  • Learn to build partnerships with other people and organizations

  • Identify leadership opportunities in college

  • Go on field trips to cultural institutions

  • Hang out with alumni to learn about their life experiences after high school

“The program far exceeded my expectations. It molded me into an advocate for diversity, tolerance and positive change in my communities. I cherish the experience I had and all the new friends I made!” - YouthBridge-NY Alumnus