Youth Council and Mentorships

We believe in safe, clean water for communities today and for future generations. A priority is preparing future leaders with the skills and resources to affect change.

The Communities for Clean Water Youth Council operated between 2013 and 2016 as a self-governed youth organization that enabled young people to become community leaders for clean water. We provided the Youth Council with mentorship and financial and technical support.

Youth Council members engaged their peers, as well as the larger community, in a dialogue about LANL-related water impacts. By participating in the Youth Council, young people strengthened their personal connection to water and grow empathy for all who depend on this life-giving resource. Through site visits, public presentations, the arts, and educational activities, they built leadership skills and ecoliteracy–a sense of deep responsibility for the well-being of communities and the planet.

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Between 2017 and 2023, CCW worked with two native Youth Leaders in a more in-depth approach by providing one-on-one mentorship and supporting them in developing projects and programs to reach out to their peers.

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CCW is in the process of creating a new youth mentorship program in collaboration with other New Mexico organizations. To be continued!