Youth Driven Spaces Conference
The Youth Driven Spaces Conference is an annual professional development opportunity for youth and their adult allies to share practice, learn skills and network. Each Conference includes youth planned and facilitated workshops and a Shark Tank inspired Youth Driven Project Pitches, where organizations pitch future projects and receive funding.
Now Accepting Applications for Teen Youth Driven Spaces Conference Developers
Neutral Zone is bringing together a youth-adult team that will meet throughout the school year, building community and developing skills. Participants will apply their learning through coordinating the 8th annual Youth Driven Spaces Conference, a regional event centered on youth voice and decision making. The planning, organizing and the hosting of the conference will be led by the youth-adult team.
Seeking teens in high school to join the planning committee. Apply by Thursday, October 31!
Past Conferences
2024: Concept of self
The 2024 YDS Conference included teen-led workshops on self love, advocacy through democracy, caring for yourself on social media, and improvising to express yourself.
2023: Transitioning to adulthood
The 2023 YDS Conference included teen-led workshops on Finances 101, Reproductive Justice and Contraception, Mental Health, Habitual/Responsible Voting, and Conscious Activism.
2022: Mental Health
Rescuing the conference from the confines of zoom, teens decided to focus this year's conference on the importance of mental health.
2019
With eight youth-driven workshops this year, we covered anything you could hope to foster in a youth driven space.
The First Ever YDS Conference
The one that began it all.
The first conference was different in many ways; location, sponsors, and even being held on a Sunday but the concept was a home run and set the foundations for the YDS Conference we know and love today.
Thanks to the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation for their generous support for this event!