Y College Achievers+Service

Y College Achievers Program (Y CAP) + Service provides holistic support and resources for first year U of M college students from underrepresented communities (including students who identify as BIPOC and/or first generation in their families to attend college and Pell grant eligible). This is an amazing opportunity for students looking for a community to be authentic in, while adjusting to college and preparing for careers.

Y College Achievers have opportunities to:

  • Receive support from the peers and mentors
  • Attend weekly community nights for food, fun and resources
  • Learn to network while building a network - Y staff and professionals will be available monthly to support you and contribute to building your network!
  • Serve in the community and mentor
  • Develop as a leader
  • NOTE* Page Scholars who join Y CAP are provided opportunities to serve youth up to 8th grade to meet scholarship requirements as well as other service opportunities.

YOUTH SERVING PROGRAMS

Y Step N’ Stones

The Step N’ Stones social emotional and learning support program for young people was designed specifically to support youth and their recovery from time out of school including not being able to engage with their peers during pandemic quarantine time. In the Y Step N’ Stones program young people have the opportunity to engage with college mentors and experience positive developmental relationships, mentorship, engage in problem solving and goal setting as well as receive homework/learning support!

Y Mentors

Y Mentors programs provide college students opportunities to mentor as a team. Students who qualify through the FASFA may apply work study funds while others may choose to volunteer. Opportunities to serve and/or lead the mentoring programs are available to students across all majors. Meet Student Leaders here!

  • Comic Book Club (3 – 5 grade)
  • Kids N’ Motion (1 – 3 grade)
  • KidsSTEAM (3 - 5 grade)

#Take 5 for Mental Health

  • Mental Health Education workshops promote youth-voice, promote creative expression (photovoice with narratives) to dispel myths and destigmatize mental illness. Youth will practice destress activities with the team, learn about the facts surrounding the health of their brain and how to maintain wellness. Youth will learn about resources and how their voice can create change for self and community.
  • Y Just Chillin' events is a public health prevention initiative that provides college students an opportunity to develop and apply a variety of skills – from outreach on campus, to facilitating destress activities to leading focused conversations on mental health stigma. Some opportunities to serve youth will be off campus.
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid certification is designed to teach how to help an adolescent (12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenges or is in crisis. YMHFA is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5 step action plan for to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD) and eating disorders.

INTERNSHIPS

Undergraduate Non-Profit Internships

All majors welcome! The UY offers a variety of project based internship opportunities to apply and grow strengths, talents and skills in a non-profit setting. Area of internships may vary, but all provide the opportunity to develop communication, collaboration and authentic leadership skills. Students may get University of MN credit for internships with department approval. Meet interns here (coming soon!)

Graduate Student Public Health Education and Prevention Internships

Create and implement public health education and prevention service models to be shared in the community and with young people.