How To Take Action with YCD:
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Become A Chapter
Become part of a youth-led community where you'll build leadership skills, make meaningful connections, and lead real-world projects that create positive change.
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Join A Training
Strengthen your leadership, facilitation, and community organizing skills through engaging trainings designed to empower young leaders to make an impact.
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Attend Our Conference
Connect with hundreds of student leaders, educators, and changemakers for a day of inspiring speakers, interactive workshops, networking, and celebration at the Annual YCD Conference.
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Use our Expertise
Bring YCD to your school or organization through customized workshops, trainings, and presentations led by our experienced team on topics that build more just and inclusive communities.
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Volunteer with Us
Make a difference by volunteering your time and talents to support YCD events, programs, and students as we work together to empower the next generation of community leaders.
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Donate to YCD
Invest in the next generation of changemakers by making a donation to empower high school students with the leadership skills, training, and support they need to create lasting change in their communities.
Ways to Get Involved With YCD
A Mission with Many Ways to Make an Impact.
At Youth Celebrate Diversity (YCD), we believe every student should have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, create positive change, and build communities where everyone belongs!
The best way to experience everything YCD has to offer is by becoming a YCD Chapter. If becoming a chapter isn't the right fit right now, your school, organization, or you as an individual student can still participate through our trainings, conference, and resources!
See below what option is the best fit for you and your organization!
Option 1: Become a YCD Chapter
YCD Chapters are youth-led groups that partner with YCD for a full school year to take action in their community by researching, designing and completing a YCD supported Action Project. Through this comprehensive process of identifying a challenge within your community, designing a project to address it, and taking action with your chapter, students will:
Develop skills to succeed as leaders and activists
Educate themselves and their peers on topics within the JEDIBA* space
Learn how to design and complete a collaborative group project
*JEDIBA - Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, Access
Why Become a Chapter?
Becoming a chapter is the most comprehensive way to engage with YCDand maximize your impact throughout the year. Membership as a YCD Chapter includes:
Free registration to Power Up! Leadership Training (offered in person or virtually) to learn skills of meeting facilitation, group decision making, and community organizing
Free registration to the 35th Annual YCD Conference for a day of networking, inspiration, and celebration with over 600 attendees from across the country
Free registration to Power Forward! Action Training (offered in person or virtually) to gain the skills in designing and implementing your Action Project from start to finish
Ongoing coaching and consultation for your chapter from YCD’s Program Manager
Free access to YCD’s monthly Chapter Connections newsletter featuring opportunities, resources, and chapter highlights
Chapter Membership
Annual Chapter Membership: $300 per year
We intentionally keep membership affordable so more schools and organizations can participate. Scholarship assistance is available for groups with financial need because we never want cost to prevent students from participating. If you have questions or concerns with membership fees, please contact Amy Atkins, program manager, at aatkins@ycdiversity.org
Who Can Become A Chapter?
A chapter can be almost any existing student organization with motivated student leaders and an adult advisor.
YCD chapters are often (but not always):
Diversity or multicultural youth groups/clubs
Student governments and student councils
Peace/conflict resolution focused organization including PeaceJam and Interact
Affinity groups celebrating specific student ethnicities including Black Student Alliance, LULAC, and Native/Indigenous student clubs
GSAs, GLSN or other groups celebrating and supporting TQ2S+ and allied youth
Religious student groups interested in exploring interfaith dialogue and positive social change
Youth environmental groups focused on climate justice work
Youth mental health and substance prevention groups
Youth commissions
School district youth equity committees
Library teen councils
And many more!
Option 2: Attend YCD Events & Trainings
Not Ready to Become a Chapter?
You don't have to be a YCD Chapter to attend YCD’s conference, trainings and events!
Schools, youth organizations, and community groups can participate in YCD events, trainings, and educational opportunities throughout the year without needing to commit to completing an Action Project.
Available opportunities include:
Power Up! Leadership Training
Power Forward! Action Training
35th Annual YCD Conference (January 30th, 2026)
Organizations attending as non-chapters simply register and pay per student.
Want YCD to Bring Our Expertise To You?
Bring Youth Celebrate Diversity directly to your school or organization! YCD offers engaging presentations, interactive workshops, and customized trainings designed to empower youth and adults to build stronger, more inclusive communities. Choose from more than 75 topics, or work with us to create a customized professional development or student leadership experience that meets your goals.
Whether you need a one-hour workshop for your conference, a full-day leadership retreat, staff professional development, or a multi-session series, YCD will partner with you to create an engaging experience that equips participants with practical skills they can immediately put into action.
Popular sessions include:
Power Sharing with Youth - how to ensure everyone feels empowered in youth and adult spaces
Group/Meeting Facilitation - how to lead a meeting or gathering that meets your goals
Community Organizing - how to identify and recruit your power squad to create positive change in your community
Creating Communities of Belonging - how to help all members of your community feel seen, heard and valued
Icebreakerpalooza - how to choose the right group activity for any situation or stage of group development
Courageous/Crucial Conversations - how to engage in high stakes conversations when people’s opinions and beliefs differ from your own and emotions run strong
Just and Equitable Leadership - understand key terms within JEDIBA spaces (including the acronym JEDIBA) and practice being an upstander in difficult situations
Option 3: Individual Students
Not Part of a Student Organization? You can still be part of YCD!
High school students ages 14–18 who are not affiliated with a YCD Chapter or student organization are welcome to participate in many YCD opportunities.
Individual students may:
Attend YCD conferences, trainings, and events with an adult chaperone (parent, teacher, coach, mentor, or advisor)
Access educational resources and materials via YCD’s website
Volunteer at YCD events throughout the year
To ensure student safety, all in-person participants under 18 must attend with an adult.
Option 4: Adults (18+ including college age youth)
Are you a community member looking to support youth leaders?
At YCD, we believe lasting change happens when young people and adults work together. While students lead the vision and action of our programs, caring adults play an essential role by providing encouragement, mentorship, resources, and experience. Whether you're an educator, parent, community member, or professional, there are many meaningful ways to help empower the next generation of leaders and strengthen our communities.
You can support YCD by:
Donate to YCD to help expand leadership opportunities, scholarships, and programs for students.
Volunteer at YCD Events by assisting with conferences, trainings, and community programs throughout the year.
Become an Adult Mentor to support and encourage students as they develop leadership skills to create positive change in their schools and communities.
Join the YCD Board of Directors and help guide the organization's strategic vision, governance, fundraising, and long-term impact.
Commitment to Youth Safety:
To help provide a safe and supportive environment for all participants, all adults serving in volunteer, mentorship, board, or other official roles with YCD are required to successfully complete a federal background check before working with youth.
Everyone Has a Place at YCD
Whether you're representing an established student organization, exploring leadership opportunities with a few friends, or attending your very first YCD event, there's a place for you in our community.
Our goal is simple: empower young people to lead, connect, and create positive change together.
Ready to get started?
Become a YCD Chapter or register for an upcoming event or training to begin your journey with Youth Celebrate Diversity today.
YCD Chapter Membership: $300
34th Annual YCD Conference (in person): $30 per person
Power Up! Leadership Training (in person): $30 per person
Power Up! Leadership Training (virtual): $150
Access to our digital library of workshops and resources: $50 per
YCD Training and 1:1 Consultations: $150 per session
We want to ensure that no one is turned away from YCD due to an inability to pay. Please email Amy Atkins, our program manager, aatkins@ycdiversity.org to discuss scholarship opportunities.