California Youth Leadership Corps 

Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 Participant Application

The California Youth Leadership Corps (CYLC) is a transformative program designed to empower individuals from diverse and nontraditional backgrounds to create social change and make a positive impact on their communities. Our program spans three academic quarters, from Fall 2025 to Spring 2026, offering participants the opportunity to earn a Certificate in Leadership and Social Change from De Anza College.

Must be 18 years or older.

Class schedule below:

Fall Quarter: September 22rd - December 12th, 2025cylcflyer23

  • Leadership and Power (ICS27/POLY17)
  • Instructor: Cynthia Kaufman
  • Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm (via Zoom)

Winter Quarter: January 5th - March 27th, 2026

  • Critical Consciousness and Social Change (ICS 17)
  • Instructor: Cynthia Kaufman
  • Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm (via Zoom)

Spring Quarter: April 6th - June 26th, 2026

  • Making a Difference: Transforming Relations of Nature, Community, and Power (ICS 19)
  • Instructor: Staff (TBA)
  • Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm (via Zoom)

In addition to the core classes mentioned above, participants will engage in a 2-unit asynchronous fellowship class during each quarter. Students will be placed with partner organizations that do various social justice-centered work in our communities, allowing them to gain hands-on experience. The expectation is a 10 hour commitment per week for the community fellowship throughout the entire duration of the program.

Each fellow is eligible to receive up to $10,000 in support over the 10-month period. Fellows will engage in immersive, field-based learning experiences for approximately 10 hours a week (or 40 hours a month) at their designated placement site. Fellows will be awarded three $1,670 educational scholarships. Fellows are expected to use these funds to cover any school fees that FAFSA or CADAA does not fully cover.

CYLC Application is current closed for the 2025 - 2026 academic year

Community Partners:

If you are a community organization and would like to supervise a CYLC Fellow at your site, please fill out the following intake form: CBO Intake Form

CYLC is able to offer an $8,000 stipend  per school year for each student you host. Up to $32,000 annually.

For more information Click here to Download a one-page summary of the program 

Further questions? Please contact Brenda Carrillo, Program Coordinator, romerocarrillobrenda@fhda.edu  or Cynthia Kaufman, VIDA director, kaufmancynthia@deanza.edu

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