What is the Prudential Youth Leadership Institute?

The Prudential Youth Leadership Institute (PYLI) is a unique training program designedto help prepare young people for leadership roles in their communities. The mission of theInstitute is to provide youth with the encouragement, peer networks, and leadership skillsfor them to make meaningful contributions to their communities and to begin a life-longjourney of leadership and service. It is the belief of the Institute that this investment in theleadership of a diverse group of youth nationwide will aid in the creation of strongercommunities and a stronger nation.

The Center for Creative Leadership, one of the world’s foremost authorities onleadership principles, developed the Institute’s interactive, state-of-the-art curriculum whichprovides the caliber of leadership training typically available only to corporate executivesand government leaders. It features a challenging series of lessons and exercises oncommunity needs analysis, goal setting, team building, project planning, decision making,and other leadership dynamics. The curriculum culminates in a community service project,created and implemented by the participants, and a final graduation ceremony. While thecurriculum is an effective tool that can stand on its own, it is also flexible enough to beintegrated and adapted to meet the need of your organization and community.

PYLI offers local service organizations the opportunity to not only teach young peopleleadership and community service skills, but also to benefit from community outreach,positive publicity, organizational networking and ongoing contact with a growing cadre ofyoung leaders. The Institute has had proven success in organizations working with youngpeople from diverse socio-economic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.

An evaluation of 100 students who have participated in the Institute showed a significantincrease in the students’ self-awareness, self-confidence, ability to impact the community,goal setting skills, communication skills, and team building skills. In the words of onestudent alumni, “The Institute was a wonderful experience and an important learningprocess. I feel more confident as a leader, and I also feel better knowing that I am part of agroup of motivated teens who are working to help their community.”

The Institute was developed by The Prudential Insurance Company of America, in partnership with YouthService America and The Points of Light Foundation. The Institute is part of The Prudential Spirit ofCommunity Initiative, a series of programs designed to help rekindle America’s community spirit byencouraging young people to become actively involved in making their communities better places to live.

The Agricultural Extension service offers its programs to all eigible persons regardless ofrace, color, age, national origin, sex, disability, or veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS.The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and county

governments cooperating infurtherance of Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914.Agricultural Extension Service, Charles L. Norman, Dean.