Youth effort makes difference in Westfield
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WESTFIELD -- The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, in partnership with the YWCA Westfield’s Girls Leadership Initiative, recently celebrated the impact of youth-led philanthropy benefiting the Westfield Recreation Department. The initiative was made possible through support from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation.
Participants in the Girls Leadership Initiative of YWCA Westfield recently took part in NCCF's regranting initiative through a hands off philanthropy workshop. The focus was on community impact through grantmaking while empowering participants to make real funding decisions.
Youth were challenged to identify community needs, explore organizations addressing those needs, and determine where funding could make the greatest difference. Working together, they discussed both the strengths and challenges their community faces. Their conversations highlighted concerns including mental health, food insecurity, educational support, environmental stewardship, and opportunities for youth engagement.
One theme consistently emerged throughout the discussion: the need for more opportunities for teens to connect, build relationships, and participate in activities outside of school that are low pressure.
After careful consideration the youth chose to award a $500 mini-grant to the Westfield Recreation Department in support of summer recreation programming at Welch Field.
The grant was presented to Recreation Director Andrew Webster during a gathering of community partners, including NCCF representatives Leslie Wille and Jeannie Gallaway, Girls Leadership Initiative Facilitator Bonnie Hartley, and YWCA Westfield Executive Director Stephanie Stevens. The group celebrated the students’ work and discussed the important role young people play in identifying community needs and shaping local solutions.
A participant in the Girls Leadership Initiative shared that programs like GLI and the Westfield Recreation Department are especially important in rural communities where opportunities for teenagers can be limited. She explained that participating in these programs helps young people feel connected to one another while creating opportunities to make a positive impact in their communities.
The event also highlighted the importance of listening to young people when identifying community needs and developing solutions.
“Listen to your youth, because they know what’s going on,” said YWCA Westfield Board Member Beth Patri during the discussion.
For NCCF, creating opportunities for youth leadership is a central goal of the regranting initiative.
“At its core, this initiative is about more than funding; it is about connection, trust, and possibility,” said Gallaway, Rural Philanthropy Fellow for NCCF. “By engaging young people in real decision-making, we are helping them understand the power of philanthropy while demonstrating that their perspectives matter. Their ideas help us better understand our communities and identify opportunities we might otherwise overlook.”
The initiative also demonstrated the power of collaboration. Throughout the discussion, participants emphasized that organizations can achieve more when they work together, share resources, and support one another in service of a common goal.
This work aligns with NCCF’s campaign, a commitment to strengthening northern Chautauqua County by bringing people, ideas, and resources together to create lasting impact.
As the Girls Leadership Initiative demonstrated, young people are not simply leaders of tomorrow, they are shaping communities today.