Building Stronger Youth

Power of Peace is Youth Voices Center’s signature experiential program designed to help young people build the social, emotional, and leadership skills needed to navigate conflict, strengthen relationships, and contribute to safer school and community environments. Through interactive, hands-on workshops, students develop greater self-awareness, empathy, and responsibility—skills that support both personal growth and positive school climate.

“Power of Peace created a space where students felt heard, respected, and connected. We saw immediate changes in how they communicated with one another and with staff.”
— School Administrator

The program is delivered by trained Youth Voices Center facilitators and is typically implemented over two full school days. Workshops are offered in cycles of approximately 25 students and are scheduled in collaboration with school administrators and guidance staff to meet each school’s needs. Educators and school staff are encouraged to participate alongside students, fostering shared understanding and reinforcing program principles beyond the workshop setting.

At the start of each workshop, facilitators establish clear group agreements to ensure a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment. Using experiential activities and guided reflection, Power of Peace promotes core competencies including social-emotional learning, conflict management, leadership, teamwork, responsible decision-making, respect for self and others, and diversity and inclusion.

“This program helped me realize I have control over my choices. I think before I react now.”
— Student Participant

Power of Peace provides students with a supportive space to feel heard, connected, and empowered during a formative stage of development. Participants report increased confidence, stronger peer connections, and a greater sense of agency over their choices and future goals. Students who complete Level 1 workshops may return as co-facilitators in Level 2 sessions, reinforcing leadership skills and modeling positive behavior for peers.

The program has demonstrated consistent success through ongoing evaluation and feedback from students, parents, and educators. Many schools partner with Youth Voices Center year after year to ensure new cohorts of students benefit from the program. To support long-term impact, Youth Voices Center also offers staff trainings and parent sessions that extend the program’s principles into classrooms and homes, helping to sustain a positive school culture.

“Power of Peace has become a cornerstone of our school climate efforts. We request it every year.”
— School Counselor

At its core, Power of Peace encourages students to take ownership of their actions and choices—empowering them to lead with intention, manage emotions constructively, and be the driver of their own lives.