WE ARE THE
COMMUNITY ACTION MODEL
The Community Action Model Youth Leadership Project (CAM YLP) engages Bay Area youth, ages 18–24, who are interested in improving community health and making a positive change in San Francisco communities. Through the program, youth identify the inequities in their communities — for instance, the high density of liquor stores and advertisements promoting unhealthy behavior — as well as their deep value and beauty, which is often overlooked, exploited, and erased by those in power.
As they develop the language and framing to share their experiences and confront damaging policies, systems, and environments, youth develop the tools to become powerful advocates for themselves and their communities. Following the yli model for youth development, the youth plan and conduct their own research, and work directly with local decision-makers to offer policy recommendations that improve conditions for the city’s youth.
Our mission:
Our team of young leaders hope to improve community health through education, advocacy, campaigning, and promoting policy recommendations in order to implement positive and sustainable change for our communities.
“You are powerful and you have the ability to change public policy even if it’s just through a small action.”
— Mary Caldera, ECL
Quotes From ecl’s
"To mobilize action for a tobacco-free generation, we in CAM find it imperative to address the nicotine & vaping epidemic plaguing our youth through a multi-faceted approach that addresses causes and sources of tobacco accessibility. We place the most value in aggressive campaigning and legislation through community building and advocacy activities that empower populations of the bay to fight back against discriminatory tobacco/nicotine marketing and addiction” - Gwen