Council for Youth Development Bartholomew County

Established in 2005 with the vision that every young person in Bartholomew County would be healthy, safe, educated, engaged, and supported, the Council for Youth Development aligns efforts to advance a culture of positive youth development through a variety of programs, events, and campaigns. 

 CYD is a cross-sector coalition of 180 stakeholders that represents a cradle-to-career continuum serving and advocating for youth in our community. Some of the 55 organizations they work with include Foundation for Youth, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, Cummins, Inc., Columbus Regional Health, United Way of Bartholomew County, and more. CYD partners have access to CYD data. This data is used to drive work in the youth development realm throughout the community.

Since 2020, the Youth Ambassador program has empowered student leaders in grades 10-12 to use the power of civic engagement to foster our community’s overall well-being and resilience. The Ambassadors must complete 20+ hours of community service, and participate and plan many of our events, including our most recent Shine On campaign to celebrate International Youth Day. 

CYD offers opportunities for all community members to become invested in creating a positive environment for children and teens in our county by attending our CYD Open Meetings or participating in one of our three workgroups: Youth Empowerment, Family Engagement, and Professional Development. CYD also offers regular community workshops for youth and caring adults and we also participate in multiple community events throughout the year.

For more information about our available workshops, visit cydbartholomew.org.