We are excited to have had a successful launch in 2019 of our first ever cohort of JYCA youth on the Peninsula, in partnership with the Peninsula Jewish Community Center. PJYCA serves high school aged teens in San Mateo, Redwood City, Palo Alto, and Mountain View from our home base at the Peninsula JCC in Foster City. This Fall we launched our first Organizing Group with youth who have graduated from the Leadership Group in Training. A new LGiT cohort launches this January.

Check out our program calendar and let us know if you’d like to join for a workshop!

The Leadership Group in Training (LGiT) is JYCA’s six month long innovative leadership training program. Youth may apply for LGiT in the fall of each year. The program starts in January and continues through the first week of June. 

LGiT Participants:

• Attend Leadership Training Sessions twice a month (typically on Sunday afternoons from 3-6 PM) which introduce youth to the skills and analysis they need be leaders for change in their communities and in social justice movements. Workshops cover oppression and privilege, racism, sexism, adultism, active listening and more.

• Get a chance to bond with other passionate youth during two weekend retreats

• Become community activists by participating in a social justice campaign chosen by the group

• Meet amazing people and build a fun, supportive and inclusive community

• Gain focused skills training in fundraising for social justice

• Learn the secrets of games like “Toy Truck,” “Dead Fish Live Fish” and “Mutant Pterodactyl”

Got questions? See the FAQ.

If you have questions and are interested in learning more or speaking to a current PJYCA youth, fill out this form and we’ll reach out to you shortly!

Youth have the option to continue on by joining the OG after they've completed LGiT. Read more about the OG below.

The Organizing Group (OG) is comprised of youth leaders who have completed the Leadership Group in Training (LGiT). In addition to continuing to learn about oppression and privilege, the OG learns facilitation and leadership skills. They facilitate LGiT, take action for social justice in partnership with community organizations and do recruitment to get more young people involved with JYCA. OG participates in three weekend retreats packed with lots of fun and learning. OG runs from September through June each years JYCAns have the option to continue on with the OG each year that they are in high school.

Peninsula JYCA is a grantee of the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Initiative (Teen Initiative), a project of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, with support from the Jim Joseph Foundation and a consortium of local funders.