Do you want to make a positive change in the world or your community? Are you filled with a burning desire to create? Dignity of Children wants to hear your idea and help you bring it to life. iDEAS by Youth Entrepreneurship Competition is designed for high school students who want to learn how to build a business, create a prototype and present it to a panel of experts in a shark-tank format for a chance to win $2,500 and 6-month business mentorship to take their idea to the next level. Applications are due by October 17, 2021.

Have you ever faced a sexuality-related situation at work and not been sure how to respond? Speaking of Sex is a training series from Planned Parenthood for staff serving youth within Queens Community District 3, which includes East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and North Corona. The training series will include twice-weekly 2.5-hour zoom sessions: Tuesdays and Thursday, October 19, 21, 26 and 28, 2021 from 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM. This training series will help participants communicate effectively with young people and their families about sexual and reproductive health. They will discuss sexuality and values, sexual development, gender identity and expression, and more. Participants will leave with tools to articulate the value of sex education, foster an engaging and supportive environment, and handle potentially sensitive topics. Learn more and register today.

The New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC), in partnership with CollegeXpress, is hosting a virtual college fair on November 7, 2021 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. This event is free and designed for high school students and their families to learn more about the college admission process and meet with admission officers from more than 100 colleges and universities. Registration is now open.

CUNY BMCC is hosting an info session for their Dream.US scholarship program on October 26, 2021 at 2:00 PM. In advance of the November launch of the scholarship, this presentation will give practitioners an overview of the application process and identify some of the pitfalls applicants and awardees face. This would be a great opportunity to field questions and concerns specific to students who are Dreamers, regarding entering CUNY or community colleges. In addition, this event will detail BMCC application support and go through checkpoints before a scholar steps into their first class. Registration is now open.

Even before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, mental health professionals were struggling to meet the needs of the 1 in 5 children and adolescents with a mental health or learning disorder. Then the pandemic hit, bringing an upsurge in youth reporting mental health challenges. A new report from The Child Mind Institute examines the growing body of research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health, including the results of a survey of thousands of parents.

Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund is now accepting applications for grants of up to $45,000 for Black, Latino, and Asian-led community-based organizations throughout New York City whose budgets are between $150,000 and $2 million. Go to their website to learn more about organization eligibility, evaluation criteria, and how funds are awarded. The deadline to apply is October 22, 2021 at 5:00 PM.

Search for job opportunities in afterschool from organizations including Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc., YMCA, and Harlem Children's Zone on PASE's Job & Volunteer Listings.

New-York Historical Society invites high school students entering 10, 11, or 12 grade to apply to their Student Historian Internship. Students will be able to use the resources of New-York Historical Society to conduct teen-led research on undertold yet highly relevant histories, learn about the history of activists and social movements, work with historian mentors, and take trips to history archives to help support their work. Applications are due by September 26, 2021. Additionally, New-York Historical Society is offering their Tech Scholars program for high school and middle school girls. Participants will explore important contributions by underrepresented women in history, then code and create a website to amplify a woman’s story as they learn HTML and CSS. Register by October 1, 2021.

Supporting Teens in Queens (Project STIQ) is a new program from Planned Parenthood of Greater New York serving teens, families, and professionals in the Queens’ neighborhoods of East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and North Corona. Project STIQ delivers evidence-based programming for both middle- and high school-aged youth that promotes positive futures, develops decision-making and negotiation skills, and offers age-appropriate sexual health information. They also provide workshops for parents and caring adults about supporting the youth in their lives and professional development for our partnering organizations. To learn more about the program or partnering with them, please email ProjectSTIQ@ppgreaterny.org or visit their website.

#DegreesNYC is currently accepting applications for the third cycle of the Youth Council Fellowship Program which will run from September 2021 to June 2022. The #DegreesNYC Youth Council is an opportunity for students to work together to bring awareness and change in their school systems at both an institutional and political level. The Youth Council advocates for educational reform that would make schools & campuses more equitable and student-ready. Through the use of data, media, policy, and outreach the Youth Council amplifies youth voice and mobilizes the student community. Applications for a paid fellowship position must be completed by September 24, 2021.