The materials and opinions expressed in the following links are not necessarily those of Action for Children North Carolina.  Action for Children does not endorse specific organizations or individuals.

Department of Administration

Governor's Advocacy Council on Children and Youth (GACCY)
Contact: Cynthia Giles, Youth Programs Coordinator
Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office
(919)733-9296
cynthia.giles@ncmail.net

Description: Serves as a voice for children and youth of North Carolina. The council works on their behalf to identify unmet needs, review existing programs, and provide recommendations and information to the governor, the legislature and the public.

North Carolina Internship Council
Contact: Cynthia Giles, Youth Programs Coordinator
Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office
(919)733-9296
cynthia.giles@ncmail.net

Description: Serves as the governing body of the State Government Internship Program. The Council determines the appropriateness of proposals for student intern projects, determines the number of interns to be placed per project, screens applications and selects interns.

State Youth Council
Contact: Cynthia Giles, Youth Programs Coordinator
Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office
(919)733-9296
cynthia.giles@ncmail.net
http://www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/syc.htm

Description: Comprised of teenagers from local youth councils across North Carolina. The SYC provides opportunities for young people to be involved in local and state projects, participate in government, develop leadership skills, and represent youth in civic activities.

North Carolina Youth Advisory Council
Contact: Cynthia Giles, Youth Programs Coordinator
Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office
(919)733-9296
cynthia.giles@ncmail.net

Description: Provides support and advice to the State Youth Council (SYC) and local youth councils. YAC is composed of adults and high school students. The council receives public and private gifts and donations for the NC Youth Endowment Fund, a public/private partnership trust fund for youth programs. It also administers the distribution of mini-grants to youth programs.

Youth Legislative Assembly
Contact: Cynthia Giles, Youth Programs Coordinator
Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office
(919)733-9296
cynthia.giles@ncmail.net

Description: YLA is a mock legislative session where high school students voice their opinions and vote on issues concerning local, state and national government. The three-day session is patterned after the N.C. General Assembly. At the conclusion, a final report is drafted and distributed to the governor and legislators.

Youth Legislative Assembly is open to all North Carolina youth. The conference allows high school students to gain a better understanding and knowledge of local, state and national government as well as the confidence and ability to debate current issues. Any student in good standing at a public, private, charter or home school in North Carolina is eligible to participate in YLA.

A limited number of scholarships are available to students based on need.

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
Contact: Cynthia Giles, Youth Programs Coordinator
Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office
(919)733-9296
cynthia.giles@ncmail.net
http://www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/ncsadd.htm

Description: The North Carolina Students Against Destructive Decisions (formerly Students Against Driving Drunk) program assists young people in their schools and communities in conducting awareness programs to combat the use of drugs and alcohol.

The program coordinates SADD chapters in middle and high schools, along with community colleges and four-year institutions of higher learning across the state. Presentations, training sessions, workshops and special events are held including an annual statewide conference.

Other Organizations (outside of Dept. of Administration)

Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE)
National Association of SAVE
322 Chapanoke Road, Suite 110
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 661-7800
http://www.nationalsave.org/

Description: In this student-initiated program, teens learn about issues related to violent crime (especially firearms). They organize discussion groups involving peers, parents and other community members which address topics such as gun safety, the consequences of violence and strategies for nonviolent conflict resolution.

Supporting Adolescents with Guidance and Employment (SAGE)
Arnold Dennis
Durham County Department of Social Services
P.O. Box 810
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 560-8086
adennis@dsscar.co.durham.nc.us

Description: Supporting Adolescents with Guidance and Employment (SAGE) is a multifaceted, community-based violence-prevention program. Its target is African-American male adolescents in Durham, North Carolina.  SAGE includes an eight-month African-American Rites of Passage program (adult mentoring, African-American culture and history lessons, and manhood and conflict-resolution training), a six-week summer employment component, and a 12-week entrepreneurial experience.

SAYSO
Say So, Inc.
411 Andrews Road, Suite 230 Durham, NC 27705 1-800-820-0001
Sayso@ilrinc.com
http://www.saysoinc.org/

Description:Say So (Strong Able Youth Speaking Out) is a statewide association of youth aged 14 to 24 who are or have been in the out-of-home care system that is based in North Carolina.

GenerationEngage
Raleigh, NC Office
132 East Morgan Street
Raleigh, NC 27611
Raleigh@GenerationEngage.org
http://www.generationengage.org/

Description: GenerationEngage is a nonpartisan youth-civic-engagement initiative that provides all young people with the knowledge, the organization, and the voice they need to shape the future they will inherit.  GenerationEngage connects young Americans - particularly those who fall outside the boundaries of university campuses - to one another, to political leaders, to other civic organizations, and to an ongoing debate about the issues that affect all of our lives.

The American Legion Auxiliary of North Carolina
President, JoAnne Holshouser
Contact: Rosemary Turner, Secretary American Legion Auxiliary of North Carolina
P.O. Box 25726
Raleigh, NC 27611
(919) 832-4051
Fax: (919) 832-1888
ala_nc@bellsouth.net
http://www.legion-aux.org/contact_us/docs/state.html

Description: The American Legion develops and plans activities geared towards high school students and their development and understanding of the United States Government. The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program is a program where young women across America participate in citizenship training at a weeklong session designed to mimic a state government. Delegates to Girls Nation, another program run by the American Legion Auxiliary, participate in a mock national government to learn the importance of the individual in a democratic government. The American Legion also provides classes on flag etiquette as well as support the Americanism Youth Freedoms Foundation. Link at: http://www.legion-aux.org/programs/docs/programs(2).html

The American Legion Department of North Carolina
Eric L Sinclair, Commander
Contact: W Frank Stancil, Adjutant American Legion Department of North Carolina
P.O. Box 26657
Raleigh, NC 27611
(919) 832-7506
Fax: (919) 832-6428
nclegion@nc.rr.com
http://www.legion.org

Description:
The American Legion develops and plans activities geared towards high school students and their development and understanding of the United States Government. One such program is The American Legion’s National High School Oratorical Contest, which is used to help students develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of the United States. Boys State is another such participatory program where each participant becomes a part of the operation of his local, county and state government during a weeklong session. Following Boys State two representatives from each of the 48 Boys States are called upon to represent their state at American Legion Boys Nation in Washington, DC. It is here that the boys are introduced to the structure and function of the federal government. Link at: http://www.legion.org/events/evt_main.htm

Kids Voting North Carolina
Contact: Daintry O' Brien Kids Voting North Carolina
P.O. Box 29138
Greensboro, NC 27429
(336) 370-1776
kvnc@bellsouth.net
http://www.kidsvotingusa.org/
Buncombe County website at: http://www.bcboe.org/kidsvoting
Cumberland County website at: http://www.kidsvotingcc.org/
Guilford County website at: http://www.greensboro.com/kidsvote
Mecklenburg County website at: http://www.kidsvoting.org/
Wake County website at: http://www.kidsvoting.interpath.net/

Description:
Kids Voting USA is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan, organization that fosters an informed, participating electorate by educating and actively engaging young people and their families in voting and other elements of effective civic engagement.

North Carolina Civic Education Consortium
Contact: Kelley O’Brien, Director
CB #3330 Knapp-Sanders Building
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
(919) 962-8273
Fax: (919) 843.2558
obrien@sog.unc.edu
www.civics.org

Description:
The North Carolina Civic Education Consortium, a program of the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, works with schools, governments, and community organizations to prepare North Carolina's young people to be active, responsible citizens. The Consortium offers professional development, sponsors a small grants program, and disseminates curricula and other resources.

The North Carolina Council for the Social Studies
Contact: Carol Vogler, President North Carolina Council for the Social Studies
535 Culpepper Court
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
(919) 807-3300
http://courses.ncssm.edu/nccss/

The North Carolina State Mock Trial Program
Contact: Debbi Fox-Davis, Public Affairs Director North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
P.O. Box 10918
1312 Annapolis Drive
Raleigh, NC 27605
(919) 835-2808
debbi@ncatl.org
http://www.nationalmocktrail.org/

Description:
The National High School Mock Trial Championship, Inc. is an annual competition, which allows students to experience and gain a full understanding of the law, court procedures, and the American judicial system. The program also helps students become better critical thinkers, readers, and speakers, as well as to improve communication between community members, teachers, government leaders, and law professionals.

North Carolina Youth for Justice-Students Against Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.)
322 Chapanoke Road, Suite 110
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 661-7800
Fax: (919) 661-7777
Contact: Carleen Wray, Youth For Justice Coordinator: cwray@nationalsave.org
Contact: Gina Boyd: gboyd@nationalsave.org
http://www.nationalsave.org/

Description:
Students learn about alternatives to violence and practice what they learn through school and community service projects. As they participate in S.A.V.E. activities, students learn conflict management and mediation skills and the virtues of good citizenship, civility, and nonviolence. Other programs supported by S.A.V.E are a LRE Institute for 9^th grade teachers, We the People: Project Citizen and We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, Street Law and Youth Summit.

Public Allies Raleigh-Durham
Contact: Public Allies Raleigh-Durham
301 West Main Street, Suite 280
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 687-0005
Fax: (919) 956-5349
NorthCarolina@publicallies.org
www.publicallies.org/raleighdurham

Description:
Public Allies advances diverse young leaders to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation. Public Allies envisions communities where people of different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences work together and share responsibility for improving their own lives and the lives of those around them.

We the People: Project Citizen, and The Citizen and the Constitution
Contact: Ms. Diane Wright
We the People Program
Director, Law-Related Education
8000 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513
P.O. Box 3688, Cary, NC 27519
Direct Dial: 919-657-1588
Fax: 919-657-1585
http://lre.ncbar.org

Descriptions:
We the People: Project Citizen, administered at the middle school level, promotes competent and responsible participation in state and local governments. It actively engages young people in learning how to monitor and influence public policy. As a project, young people work together to create a portfolio related to public policy issue that they have researched and documented. Classes may also enter their portfolios in a local showcase with other classes. Winners advance to annual state and national showcases. Project Citizen is administered nationally by the Center for Civic Education in cooperation with the National Conference of State Legislatures, a bipartisan organization dedicated to serving the lawmakers and staffs of the nation’s 50 states and its commonwealths and territories. In North Carolina, Project Citizen is administered by Carleen Wray and Gina Boyd.

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, a program funded by the United States Department of Education by act of Congress, teaches elementary, middle and high school students the history and principles behind the American constitutional democracy. The program is based on curricular materials developed by the Center for Civic Education and acclaimed by leading educators. The curriculum not only enhances students’ understanding of the institutions of American democracy, it also helps them to identify the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The program’s culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing, wherein students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge while they evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. In North Carolina, We the People is administered by Susan Temple and Susan Giamportone.

Youth Court Center of North Carolina
Contact: There are forty Youth Court Centers in the State of North Carolina.

Go to: http://www.youthcourt.net/national_listing/United_states/query.asp to find the center most appropriate to you.

National Youth Court Center
C/O American Probation and Parole Association, Council of State Governments
PO Box 11910
Lexington, KY 40578-1910
(859) 244-8215
nycc@csg.org
http://www.youthcourt.net/

Description:
The goals of Teen Court are to help youth realize they will be accountable for their behavior; educate youth on the impact their actions have on themselves and others (i.e., victims and the community); build competencies in youth by providing instructions on how the legal system functions and how to communicate and resolve problems with peers more effectively; and provide a meaningful forum for youth to practice and enhance newly developed competencies.

Youth Vote Coalition: North Carolina
Contact: Megan De Smedt Youth Vote Coalition: North Carolina
405 B West Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
(919) 933-5889
Fax: (919) 933-9575
desmedt@pirg.org
http://www.youthvote.org/fieldsites/NC/nc.stm

Description:
The Youth Vote Coalition is a national nonpartisan coalition of diverse organizations dedicated to Increasing political and civic participation among young people; building an inclusive, accountable, and responsive government; and increasing public awareness about the value of participation in democracy through the electoral process. The Youth Vote Coalition has over 100 national members who represent youth in the USA.