Young Women’s Political Leadership Program

Running Start’s Young Political Leadership Program (YWPL) introduces high school girls to the power of political leadership.  The program is open to high school girls entering 9th grade through graduating seniors.  We are a nonpartisan organization encouraging girls to lead from every background and ideology.

Our 2012 Young Women’s Political Leadership Program will take place in Washington, DC from June 25 – June 30, 2012.

Applications to apply will be available January 23 – February 28, 2012.

The YPWL Program

Running Start’s YWPL Program grew out of the need to help more young women see their place as political leaders in their community and in the world. The program emphasizes practical skills needed to lead in politics. Participants learn from experts in a variety of fields including:
•    Public speaking
•    Message development
•    Networking
•    On-camera media training
•    Fundraising, and many more

Young women candidates and elected officials speak to participants about what it is like to run as a young woman, how to get involved on a local level, and why it is so important to get more women elected to office.
The goal of the weeklong program is to encourage the girls to channel their leadership into politics.

The program is free of charge with a room and board fee of $500 per participant.  Need-based scholarships are available.

History of YWPL
This program has been held in Washington, DC, since 2007 and is the flagship program of Running Start.  In spring 2009, Running Start received 30,000 applications for this program and since then has expanded the program to regional programs around the country including trainings in California, New York and Michigan.

Other Details
While the YWPL Program is free of charge, there is a $500 room and board fee for each participant.  Need-based scholarships are available.
Applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Christina-Taylor Green Scholarship
On January 8, 2011 nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green went to a political event in Tucson, Arizona, to hear her Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords speak. Christina-Taylor was only nine years old, but she had already developed an interest in politics, and had just won a student government position at her school.  At the event, a gunman attempted to assassinate Congresswoman Giffords, tragically Christina-Taylor was  killed along with five other people.
To honor Christina-Taylor’s memory, Running Start has created a scholarship in her name for our flagship program, The Young Women Political Leadership Program.

To learn more and apply for the scholarship, CLICK HERE.

ILive2Lead is looking for international young women to attend their program which overlaps with Running Start’s YWPL. Girls stay in the same dorm, and attend some of the Running Start YWPL program sessions. Click here for more information.