Estuary Youth Council Program
2025 EYC Program Details
The 2025 Estuary Youth Council Program is a hybrid program that will run from June 2025 to December 2025.
The program will accept 9 youth aged 17-24 on a 6.5-month program to learn about the San Francisco Estuary, the environmental challenges it faces, and how it impacts its surrounding communities. Youth will go on educational field trips, receive leadership development and professional development opportunities, and work in teams to complete an original capstone project that addresses a current environmental issue facing the San Francisco Estuary and its watershed communities.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the 2025 EYC Program, you must:
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- Be age 17-24;
- Identify as being from Oakland, San Francisco, East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, Bellehaven, Redwood City, or Stockton and the surrounding Delta area;
- Be passionate about environmental issues facing the San Francisco Estuary (ex: climate change, pollution, biodiversity, equitable access to parks & green spaces, environmental justice, disaster recovery, etc.);
- Be able to commit to attend all scheduled Estuary Youth Council activities and events both in-person and online. See the Program Schedule for more details.
Program Schedule
The 2025 EYC Program runs from June to December and involves a monthly in-person group gathering that require in-person participation. These dates are:
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- Monday June 23rd: In-person event #1
- Wednesday July 9th: In-person event #2
- Tuesday August 5th: In-person event #3
- Saturday September 13: In-person event #4
- Saturday October 4: In-person event #5
- Saturday November 1: In-person event #6
- Thursday December 11: (evening only): In-person event #7
Participants will also be expected to meet, either in-person OR virtually, with their CBO host atleast twice a month. These meetings will typically be 0.5-1 hour, and will be coordinated with participants when they are onboarded.
Lastly, participants are expected to devote individual time towards a capstone project through the duration of the program.
Youth should expect to spend 25-35 hours a month participating in Estuary Youth Council programming and independent work combined.
Payment & Benefits
- Monthly stipend for 6.5 months
- Small group mentorship
- Opportunities to network and meet scientists, naturalists, environmental planners, educators, community changemakers, and other youth passionate about environmental chan ge
- Upon completion of the program, access to the EYC alumni network for peer-to-peer mentorship and future leadership & professional development opportunities
Application Process
BIPOC &/ LGBTQ+ youth are strongly encouraged to apply.
Interested applicants should fill out the Google Form application when it is live in April 2026. After the closing deadline, applications will no longer be accepted.
Applications will be reviewed and selected candidates will be invited to a virtual interview in May 2026.
Final selections will be made no later than late May 2026.
FAQ's
What is an “estuary”?
An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water where freshwater from rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean. Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth. The San Francisco Estuary encompasses the San Francisco Bay and the Delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. Learn more about the San Francisco Estuary here.
Do I need to be in college to apply?
No; the Estuary Youth Council program team acknowledges that many youth from our target communities face signifcant barriers to enrolling in an academic institution. We recognize that environmental and social change can be made through many different avenues, including outside of the “traditional” pathway of pursuing a degree.
What kind of candidate is the Estuary Youth Council looking for?
We are looking for applicants with demonstrated dedication to environmental improvement, outstanding leadership skills or potential, and vision for how they will leverage this opportunity to create positive change in their communities and across the San Francisco Estuary region. Applicants should possess solid communication skills, commitment to leadership development, and the ability to work independently and in a group setting. Non-academic work and community-based experience is highly valued.
We seek candidates from a variety of approaches to environmental change, life experiences and perspectives. Individuals who have work or volunteer experience in community work are often more competitive candidates due to a greater understanding of how positive change is made within complex systems. In addition, we recognize that an individual who has had to overcome financial obstacles by choosing non-environmental work can be just as committed as someone who has had the privilege of volunteering at environmental organizations to gain experience.
What is the selection process like?
Youth who are interested need to submit an application via our Google Form, which will open in April 2026. Our program team will select candidates for a virtual interview in May based on application competitiveness. Final decisions will be made by late May 2026.
If I missed the application deadline, can I still apply?
Unfortunately, no applications will be accepted past the deadline.
If I have questions, who do I contact?
Please send questions to the program manager, Diana Fu: diana.fu@sfestuary.org.
