Long Beach, CA – California Youth Leadership Corps (CYLC) in partnership with Long Beach City College (LBCC) launched a new community change learn-and-earn career pathway in Public and Community Health. This unique nine-month fellowship program aims to prepare historically marginalized students to become community organizers and change agents in their local communities.

LBCC students participating in this new program will work towards earning a Health Education and Promotion Certificate and gain hands-on experience at nonprofits and social justice organizations, where they will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to lead and organize public health education initiatives in their local communities. Additionally, CYLC-LBCC students have the opportunity to receive up to $10,000 in stipend awards and a scholarship award of $5,000 for their educational expenses while they are enrolled in the CYLC program. 

“CLP/CYLC is very excited to partner with Long Beach City College to launch this innovative community change Public and Community Health career pathway. This partnership will provide student fellows with the academic credentials, work-based learning experiences, skills, economic security, and support they need to succeed in college and to create change in their community,” said Rosa M. García, Executive Director of the Community Learning Partnership and California Youth Leadership Corps

“This new partnership is a win-win situation for both our students and the communities we serve,” said Dr. Mike Muñoz, LBCC Superintendent-President. “During the pandemic we saw the importance of our local community organizers and their role in educating on a grassroots level about COVID-19, and the benefits of vaccinations. This initiative with CYLC will not only provide our students with invaluable work-based learning but will also actively engage them in comprehensive efforts that will empower them to achieve financial stability while providing an important community service.” 

“Providing opportunities for students to earn money doing meaningful work while attending classes is a powerful investment in their future,” said Vivian Malauulu, LBCC Board of Trustees President. “Our partnership with CYLC is vital to our mission of transforming the lives of our students and that is making a huge impact on our communities.”

Students must be enrolled at LBCC to apply, and be between the ages of 18-24. They will be selected and onboarded on an ongoing basis in the CYLC’s Public and Community Health Program. This program aims to serve low-income students, students of color, Opportunity Youth, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants, individuals impacted by the criminal legal system, and students who are eager to make a change in their communities.

CYLC Senior Program Director Shelia Balque described the potential impact of this career pathway: “The California Youth Leadership Corps-LBCC Fellowship is an excellent opportunity for students to get direct experience addressing public health and social justice issues impacting their local communities. This is also a wonderful opportunity for community-based organizations to help cultivate up and coming leaders when they host a CYLC-LBCC student Fellow. I’m excited to see the amazing impact this partnership will have on LBCC students and the larger Long Beach community.”

CYLC-LBCC is also actively recruiting community-based organizations to serve as host organizations for student fellows for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 academic terms. Participating nonprofit organizations will receive a stipend for hosting and mentoring student fellows. If you know of community-based organizations interested in hosting and mentoring community college students in public health & education in Long Beach, please have them contact Veronica Rodriguez at vrodriguez@lbcc.edu by July 31st, 2024. To learn more, please visit us at https://communitylearningpartnership.org/course/long-beach-city-college-cylc/