The Community Improvement Through Youth (CITY) Project employs one of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s (CCE) Signature Programs, Youth Community Action (YCA) and utilizes a National 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System resource, Public Adventures: An Active Citizenship Curriculum for Youth.

The CITY Project uses YCA as an intentional process to promote civic engagement, workforce preparation, and asset development among youth (14-18 years old). Through Public Adventures, YCA, and 4-H Youth Development, the CITY Project provides the opportunities and support youth need in order to meet the challenges of growing up in poverty. Working in partnerships with caring adults, CITY Teen Leaders will identify local problems/issues by using various types of community mapping (e.g., GIS/GPS, photography, and videography) and then create lasting, sustainable changes in their communities. Through paid summer employment, the CITY Teen Leaders will gain job readiness skills as they undertake and complete community improvement projects.

There are two CITY Projects in New York:

• The CITY Project in Broome County: In Binghamton, the CITY Project is being implemented by Cornell University Cooperative Extension—Broome County (CUCE-BC). The CITY Project staff in Broome County have partnered with Binghamton Housing Authority’s Gang Prevention Program and the Broome County Urban League.

• The CITY Project in NYC: In New York City, the CITY Project is being implemented by Cornell University Cooperative Extension—New York City (CUCE-NYC). The NYC CITY Project is partnering with Henry Street Settlement and the Police Athletic League.

 Click here to see the CITY Project in action.  This video was taken and edited by the youth of the CITY project.

The Community Improvement Through Youth (CITY) Project is a Sustainable Community Project funded through Children, Youth & Families At Risk (CYFAR) Program, Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service (CSREES), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) .