For many years, our Youth Action Team was an invaluable part of our organization. We relied on them for input and advice, and to help shape our focus and direction. Each individual was a member of two Board committees and played a key role in our organization’s decision-making process. This was a direct way for our organization to put our mission into action. It also put the youth’s statement of purpose into action by ‘giving youth a voice’.
Since the inception of The Maya Gold Foundation in 2015, the need for youth empowerment has changed. Our leadership team, which included Youth Action Team members, recognized that our ever-changing world required us to evolve as well. In 2025, we sunset the Youth Action Team and introduced the role of Youth Advisor.
The Youth Advisor role is designed for teens between the ages of 14 and 18 who would like to be a voice for young people both for their community and with our Board. Our Youth Advisors act as liaisons for the Maya Gold Foundation within their community and peer groups, while actively sharing ideas, perspectives, input, and asking questions. The Youth Advisor role is crucial for supporting the Maya Gold Foundation in planning and moving forward to better realize its mission.
As Youth Advisors, young people have the opportunity to:
- Support the mission of the Maya Gold Foundation through active involvement on an ongoing basis
- Support the governance and operations of the Maya Gold Foundation
- Engage in addressing important social issues
- Receive training related to their role and in non-profit governance
- Learn about the functioning of a non-profit community organization through direct experience
If you would like to learn more about the Youth Advisor role, please contact us at Info@mayagoldfoundation.org.
