Youth Voice Summit Gains Media Attention

MENTOR Greater Milwaukee’s first ever Youth Voice Summit took place on August 2, providing a space for youth to talk about today’s issues and have their voices heard. The event, which took place at Fiserv Forum, was sponsored in part by Youth Forward MKE’s parent org - Milwaukee Succeeds - and garnered local media attention.

“It certainly is positive news to know that there are organizations across Milwaukee that are working together to provide mentoring and the opportunity for young people to take the initiative to create positive change,” wrote Andrea Williams for TMJ4.

The event explored the power of mentorship, current issues like reckless driving and more, with an emphasis on the power of youth voice to create change. The city attorney even sat in on a session to learn about young people’s concerns, as well as their ideas on how to solve them.

The Youth Voice Summit, composed of 4 youth-led workshops, activities, relationship building and giveaways, was designed to motivate, enhance and amplify the mentoring movement through youth voice. It was a chance for youth to grab a seat at a table where they often feel ignored and overlooked.

As a continuation of these efforts, MENTOR Greater Milwaukee launched their Youth Advisory Council for young people ages 14-18. This team will advocate for mentoring, youth voice and youth presence at the decision-making table. Applications are now open, and individuals passionate about mentoring and youth voice are encouraged to apply.