Since Youthlinc’s inception in 1999, Youthlinc Service Year Humanitarians have contributed more than 256,000 hours of local service throughout Utah. Last year, our Humanitarians and Alum Leaders contributed 8,670 hours of local service throughout Utah.
The Youthlinc Service Year is a unique opportunity designed to engage high school and college students in their local communities and communities abroad. Students are accepted into the Service Year program in the fall and placed onto a team of students and mentors from across Utah. Teams travel the following summer.
Real Life is a peer-mentoring after school program with a life skills curriculum benefiting under-served youth in the Salt Lake Area.
The Young Humanitarian Award recognizes one outstanding high school student and one outstanding college student who each receive a $7,500 college scholarship. One high school student and one college student will each receive a $4,000 college scholarship. Three high school students and three college students will each receive a $1,500 college scholarship for a total of $32,000 in scholarship awards to students who are working to make a difference wherever and however they can.
Youthlinc invests in the service ethic of youth in order to foster individuals in our society who understand local and global needs, and who are deeply committed to work to relieve those needs through personal service, partnership, and good will through our 6 core programs.
“Through the Service Year I have learned that service offers a new perspective on life and has made me a more compassionate human. It has challenged me to think in new ways and be grateful for what I have."
“My service has taught me that every person has their own story, their own strengths and how important it is to recognize and capitalize on those strengths. As a humanitarian, I will strive to act compassionately, purposefully, and thoughtfully in my future as a professional and as an individual.”
“I have appreciated being a Real Life Intern at Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center this year. It has been an amazing opportunity and I have loved helping the students learn meaningful life skills. I have enjoyed helping one of our refugee students, who is a senior in high school, apply and get accepted into college. This student promised his dad, before he passed away, that he would go to college so he could help provide for his family. He has been making his dad proud every day by working hard at school and applying for college admission and scholarships. He constantly shows gratitude toward Real Life volunteers who are helping him achieve his goals. He expresses that this would not be possible if it were not for Sunnyvale!”
I was a mentor on the Kenya 2013 trip. It sounds cliche, but it truly was an experience of a lifetime and one I know will live within me forever. The other mentors were amazing people, all with unique gifts to give. The students surpassed expectations I had before our adventure. They worked tirelessly and always with a smile and a positive attitude. Their compassion was an incredible model for my young son who accompanied us. Our team spoke often about service as belonging and never was it more true than with this group and with the communities that we visited. One of the priests at the school said, “It only takes a minute to know someone, but you remember them for a lifetime.” I feel blessed to have made this journey in the company of so many stellar individuals.
