“I like working with my community because I get a chance to make a difference. The leadership workshops that were held once a week…helped me to realize that I had a voice in my community. The leadership workshops made me feel like I have power…and in that hour I learned that I really do have a big impact in my community.”

“My favorite part of being a Junior Counselor was working with my campers….I have been working for PBHA for 3 years and this year was my best experience. I took more responsibility in the classroom such as [being] more involved in curriculum planning, and teaching more in the classroom. I took on a bigger role in the classroom because, I want to be a senior counselor therefore I needed to…see how being a senior counselor was and if I was ready to take on that role. I’ve learned a lot of skills that I need to develop and improve on.”

–RYI JCs

PBHA’s Leaders! Program is a year-long community leadership program for high school-aged youth in the Boston-area. During the summer, Leaders! work as Junior Counselors in the Summer Urban Program. During the school-year Leaders! are paired with a college-age mentor while working 4+ hours each week in community service or advocacy organizations. Throughout the year, Leaders! work in groups to develop skills as community leaders. The program emphasizes youth power and action through an intensive service-learning curriculum, bringing together youth from Boston’s many communities to make positive change in their city.

The mission of the Leaders! program is for youth to take on responsibilities as community leaders by using their power and voice, developing leadership skills and given the opportunities to use them, collaborating with their peers for change.

To view each camp’s description or contact their directors, visit their pages here:
Boston Refugee Youth Enrichment Program (Boston – Immigrant and Refugee Youth)
Cambridge Youth Enrichment Program (Cambridge)
Chinatown Adventure (Chinatown)
Franklin I-O (Dorchester – Franklin Hill & Field)
Keylatch Summer Program (South End)
Mission Hill Summer Program (Roxbury – Mission Hill)
Native American Youth Enrichment Program (Boston – Native Youth)
Roxbury Youth Initiative (Roxbury)
South Boston Outreach Summer (South Boston)