Our Programs / In the Lead

Nominate a Youth (School)

Nominations for Fall 2026 is open.

In the Lead works within school settings as an extra-curricular opportunity for the unlikely and unseen leaders in those communities. School staff nominate students to participate.

Program Structure

Weekly Classes
The 90 minute weekly classes are held within the schools and cover core leadership competencies that build resilience, leadership capacity, coping strategies and is proven to increase self-esteem and positive connection to community. Students can earn up to 3 Alberta Education credits for their participation.

Coach/Mentorship
Because we know that the biggest difference between thriving and just surviving is one caring adult, all Young Leaders in the school-based program are paired with a screened, trained and supported Coach/Mentor. The role of the Coach/Mentor is simple: get to know a great Young Leader, find out what strengths they have and encourage them to use those strengths in all aspects of their lives. Young Leaders and Coaches/Mentors connect in different ways; ongoing text and phone conversations, one to one meetings in the community and during group volunteering events or scheduled class time. Coaches/Mentors are invited to attend weekly classes as often as they can.

Group Volunteering
Young Leaders and Coaches/Mentors participate in a few  group volunteering events in the community throughout the program. These volunteering opportunities are a highlight for Young Leaders as they are a way for them to discover and apply their leadership strengths in a meaningful and productive way. It is also critical to their ability to see themselves as positive and influential members of a community.

School Partners / Locations

  • Discovering Choices
  • Jack James High School
  • Lester B Pearson High School
  • Alternative High School
  • Dr. Gladys McKelvie Egbert School
  • St. Anne Academy
  • St. Gemma
  • St. Ambrose

Our Coaches

  • Are all volunteers from the Calgary community
  • Go through a rigorous screening process including police checks, interviews and reference checks
  • Go through intensive training
  • Work closely with the professional In the Lead team to ensure a successful experience for youth
  • Communication and connection with Coaches is at the discretion of the youth

In the Lead School Nomination Form

Fall 2026

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We are happy to connect with you and the youth you are nominating.

Contact Information:
Michelle Seifert (Community Program Coordinator – In the Lead)
mseifert@cyjs.ca

Youth Nomination Form

Please read the Young Leader Nomination Guidelines before submitting your Youth Nomination Form.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name of Young Person*
Example: Agender, genderqueer, male, female, nonbinary, transgender female, transgender male, etc.
Example: Any, e/em, he/him, it/its, she/her, they/them, she/they, he/they, xe/xim, ze/zir, etc.
Name of Nominating Staff*
EXAMPLE: I feel that Seth would make a great candidate for the In the Lead program as he is wise beyond his years. He is kind, genuine and compassionate and has shown a tremendous amount of growth since I started working with him. Seth is resilient and tries hard to never give up on his goals and dreams. He is also very reliable and dependable and shows up for appointments regularly and on time.
EXAMPLE: I believe being part of the group would allow Seth to meet new people and develop positive relationships. Having Seth as part of In the Lead would enhance not just his growth but everyone else’s in the group as well as he has so much to offer as a young leader. I am so proud and excited to nominate Seth for In the Lead. You couldn’t ask for a better candidate.