GENERATIONS Program (Formerly GENESISTER)

Generations Leaders Organizing (GLO) works to build leadership skills in youth who have seen leadership groups in their schools and communities, yet never felt like it was a space for them.

The intention of this cohort is to encourage peer-to-peer education, develop leadership skills throughout their lessons and projects, and collaborate more closely with community partners. This cohort will be spearheaded by a new intern each. With this structure, it allows new ideas, perspectives, and strategies to be evolving with the cohort itself.

GLO Mission

The GLO (GENERATIONS Leaders Organizing) is a cohort of bicultural Latinx youth who are a part of the Boulder County Public Health GENERATIONS program. Through weekly programming and collaborative social justice projects, GLO participants will engage in experiential learning activities; peer-led presentations; sexual health lessons; leadership skill development; and civic participation at the community level in order to create a Boulder County that values the voices and lived experiences of up and coming Latinx leaders in all aspects and settings.

• GLO meetings happen in person weekly on Thursdays from 4:30-6:30PM.

Due to staff shortages, all GENERATIONS youth meet monthly for sexual health groups, and quarterly for pro-social events.

Eligibility

To participate and enroll, youth must be:

• Female* (*Female is defined as assigned female at birth.)
• Between the ages of 12 and 17
• A resident of Boulder County
• Latinx Youth, LGBTQ2 Youth, Youth of Color, System Involved Youth, and Allies

Program Goals

Each year, nearly two out of every 100 youth who can become pregnant will have a child.

Rates are higher among young people living in poverty, living in foster care, or facing persistent racism and discrimination.

Specifically, GENERATIONS helps youth:

• Think about and decide their own goals related to sexual health
• Learn how to access and use birth control to develop their health autonomy
• Learn about healthy relationships
• Participate in events and activities that are relevant to their culture & identities
• Set goals and plan for graduation, higher education, and/or a career

Youth

The GENERATIONS program is just for youth. It’s a place for sharing experiences with other young people. The program provides:

• A weekly teen group
• Comprehensive sexuality education guided by the Xinachtli curriculum from the National Compares Network
• Opportunities to learn about and support community organizations and movements through community service learning projects
• One-on-one mentoring with a youth specialist
• Programming relevant to Latinx culture and identities
• Fun monthly outings
• And so much more!

GENERATIONS knows young people have big dreams and plans for their lives, and we want to help them get there. GENERATIONS provides help with school work from tutors, volunteers, and mentors – people who care and understand what young people are going through.

Parents

Parents are one of the most important influences in a child’s life. Parents who participate in GENERATIONS will learn more about what their child is learning, gain new skills, and get resources for your family if or when you need them. Parents who participate can help their child understand the importance of concentrating on school, participating in the community, and understanding the facts about safe sex and relationships.

The program provides a parent specialist to provide support and advocacy including:

• Groups and events with other parents
• Supporting academic success for your child’s school success
• Tips for parent-child communication
• Individualized support for each parent that is culturally and linguistically appropriate and empowering

Funders & Donors

Thank you to our amazing supporters and funders

• Boulder County
• Boulder County Public Health
• City of Boulder
• Temple Hoyne Buell

To learn more about how you can support our programming, please contact the GENERATIONS program coordinator.

To Donors in Our Community

As everyone has endured hardships during the time of COVID-19, our families have increasingly fallen into the burden caused by structural and institutional racism and xenophobia. The GENERATIONS program currently serves a caseload of 99% Latinx and over 90% mixed immigration status families, whom are at an increasingly higher risk, yet aren’t able to practice staying at home due to their status as essential workers.

With the reality of this community burden, our families are in need of additional resources in order for the program to continue delivering programming in the extent that we can.

Items to Donate

GENERATIONS welcomes the following donations:

• Menstrual Products
• Emergency Contraception
• Pregnancy Tests
• Condoms & Lubrication
• Self-Care Incentive Kits for Families*

* Self-Care Incentive Kits for Families

GENERATIONS values and promotes self-care as a necessity for personal growth, community engagement, and success. As a way to celebrate our clients for their participation in the program while also encouraging parent-child connection, we want to honor them with Family Self-Care Kits.

Future Programming will include a Youth Leadership Cohort and a Bullying Prevention Project.

Contact 303-678-6139 to sponsor a youth

All donations are tax-deductible, and a receipt will be provided to you at the time of your donation.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity in helping to meet the needs of teenagers in our community.

Definitions of Terms

Latinx

Latinx is a term that the GENERATIONS program utilizes as an umbrella term to go beyond the heterosexual gender binary of distinct male and female identities and sexualities. The use of X allows for awareness that male/female energies are present in all humans regardless of sex and that there are more than two genders. Within the Latinx community folks may identify as Chicano/a/x, Mexicano/a/x, etc.

LGBTQ2

LGBTQ2 is an acronym that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning and Two-Spirit. Two-Spirit is a term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native people who fulfill a traditional third gender or gender-variant.

Volunteer & Internship Opportunities

Get involved with the GENERATIONS program and make a difference in the lives of young people in Boulder County.

• GLO Internship
• All volunteer opportunities
• GENERATIONS Cohort Internship
• GENERATIONS Volunteer