In their Community Change Workshops (CCWs), YouthBuild Philly students learn leadership skills while serving their community.  While they transform own lives by earning a diploma and trade certification, students at YouthBuild additionally strive to transform their community for the better.  In a recent CCW, students reflected on what changes they would like to see in their community:

“One day I want to live in a world where drugs don’t kill people, and so many people do not have access to a gun.”

– Kimberly

“One day I want to live in a world of peace, with nobody getting killed or hurt…I am praying that one day we can live in peace.”

– Tomar

“One day I want to change my community so that we are all one. What I mean by this is no more violence in Philadelphia…When I am successful in life I will give back to those less wealthy. This will change the community.”

– Darien

“One day I want to change the community by getting most of the homeless and the poor off the streets. [I would] build a building for those who don’t have a house and get them where they need to be, a citizen of Philadelphia like others.”

– Donte

 

“One day, I want to change my community so that all young children such as my son will have a better place to live, with more work opportunities and a better community to call home. I want to make sure the violence within the community (stops) so that my son as well as all children and teens don’t have to worry about the possibility of getting shot or shot at walking out of the door or coming home from school. Your community should be a place you want to be in and help do things for, not a place that you’re afraid to come home to.”

– Jasmine