Organization: Young Writers Project Inc
Mission: Young Writers Projects mission is to inspire, mentor, publish, and promote young writers and artists. Founded in 2006, Young Writers Project (YWP) provides a platform for youth to express themselves in writing, photography, and art to authentic audiences through: a dynamic website, youngwritersproject.org; publications, including an annual anthology, monthly digital magazine, 12 Vermont newspapers, and VTDigger.org; live and online workshops; and special projects, such as the Community Journalism Project, which started in August 2019.
Activities: Workshops and Programs: YWP provides its workshops, events, and programs free, thanks to donor support, ensuring equal access to all. Recent program achievements include:Online workshops, headlined by YWPs partner, writing coach Alex Muck. The switch to online during the pandemic has created new opportunities as anyone from anywhere can participate. They are free, fun, and accessible to all. Writing on the Roof, our series of Saturday morning workshops at our Burlington location, brought young people in contact with professionals such as New York Times best-selling author Katherine Arden, filmmaker Bess OBrien, poet Reuben Jackson, and journalists and photographers. We anticipate that the series will continue post-pandemic. Community Journalism Project. The projects first year was so successful that it will continue to be a key part of YWPs programming with writing challenges on issues and current affairs, a special Community Journalism Project publishing imprint, and a genuine audience reached through our media partners, workshops, and events with community partners.
Publication: Young Writers Project affirms young writers and artists by publishing their work in authentic publications and professional media, including:YWPs annual anthology of the years best writing, photography, and art. (Anthology 11 published September 2020);YWPs digital magazine, The Voice, a showcase of the best writing, photos, and art each month and the flagship of youngwritersproject.org;Vermont media: A featured writer is highlighted each week on VTDigger.org, and Vermont newspapers publish YWP writers and artists from their local area weekly in the Burlington Free Press and Valley News, and monthly in the Addison Independent, Bradford Journal-Opinion, Brattleboro Reformer, Charlotte News, Essex Reporter, Milton Independent, Rutland Herald, St. Albans Messenger, Times Argus, and Williston Observer.
Website and Community: Young Writers Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, revolves around youngwritersproject.org, a dynamic, youth-powered website, with more than 4,500 active users. Most users are Vermont teens, between 13 and 19 years old, (younger with parental permission) but any youth from anywhere is welcome to join. Students and teachers from around the world have discovered and joined this community. The site is free and offers youth a safe, creative space to write on their own blogs, submit photos and art, comment on each others work, and revise their work for publication. YWP receives some 10,000 submissions each year, and YWP staff and volunteers review them all, provide constructive mentoring, and prepare the work for publication. During the past year, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, the YWP community has come alive with new ideas, energy, and activities, and deeper connections among the youth. Online activities this year included:A Social Distancing Journal created by a YWP alumna and a team of a dozen YWP writers to document the pandemic in words and images;Line Break, a weekly podcast by YWP writer Iris Robert, who interviews her YWP peers about writing;An interactive, online Book Club, led by YWP writers;A regular newsletter created by some of YWPs Community Leaders, the most active youth on the site who also act as mentors and positive role models;New online workshops in response to the pandemic;Weekly writing challenges designed by YWP staff, interns, and mentors;Special challenges, contests, and workshops with other educational and nonprofit partners.
NTEE category: Arts, Culture & Humanities
Secondary category: Youth Development