In its third year, “Youth Activist Training,” a unique summer day camp for teens ages 13-17 to undertake a journey of self-discovery, uncover their passions and learn how to advocate for what’s important to them, has been fine-tuned, according to organizers.

A new mental health component has been added to teach participants about self-awareness of mental well-being, how having a support network of family and friends can help youth withstand life’s challenges, the value of building healthy relationships and becoming familiar with suicide prevention tools.

“It’s making sure everyone has a healthy balance in their life and connection with their friends, family and community,” said Matt Jones, the program’s co-director.

“Nobody can do anything successful in life if they’re not 100% prepared and in the right state of mind and body, and we want to make sure we are all collectively in a good place.”

Presented by the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission, a 46-year-old nonprofit that promotes nonviolence, social justice and sustainability, the weeklong camp will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 22-26 at various central locations.

Sessions will be held at Food to Power, a food sustainability organization in the Hillside neighborhood; Concrete Couch, a nonprofit that has orchestrated more than 800 public community art projects; Inside Out Youth Services, which runs programs for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-24; and Colorado Springs Pro-Housing Partnership, a housing rights advocacy group.

Registration is open by emailing buildingpeoplepower719@gmail.com. The cost is $75 for supplies for the week, and scholarships are available. Volunteers and donations of food also are needed.

Several presenters will address different aspects of mental health.

David Galvan, a certified trainer and facilitator, will kick off the camp on Monday by presenting the national program, “Mental Health First Aid Training.”

Therapist and facilitator Tamara Herl will lead an empower-changemaker workshop Monday afternoon addressing “Activism Without Divisiveness.”

With the nation’s political divisions, knowing how to speak with people who do not share the same opinions is valuable, organizers said.

“We have found that youth feel really connected to each other and feel seen and heard by people who are more likely to share their viewpoints, and we want to help them know how to feel safe when they meet people with different viewpoints,” said camp co-director Heidi Cooper.

“The key thing is when you’re out in the community talking to people, everyone has different lives and different perspectives, and it can become very visceral,” Jones said. “It’s critical to be able to develop communication skills to have conversations with people that maybe you are not 100% in alignment with and know how to de-escalate conversations and see others’ perspectives and where people are coming from.”

Teens are asked to think about the challenges they see and “try to have a positive approach and see the good in life and what can happen when people get together and try to make positive change,” Jones said.

After Monday’s focus on “Learning About Yourself,” Tuesday will tackle activism on national and global levels, Wednesday delves into activism at the local level and Thursday intertwines art and activism.

Friday ties everything together, examining what activism looks like, best practices and effectiveness.

Campers also present projects they work on throughout the week on a topic they’ve decided is near and dear to their hearts.

“After listening to speakers and giving them time to think about things that really matter to them and how they can go about making changes, we can help them get plugged in with organizations or building a platform,” Jones said.

Several participants last year decided to get involved in issues at their schools, Cooper said, such as school board races or drug problems among peers.

The custom-designed program that began in 2022 in the post-pandemic shift is unique in Colorado and among just a handful of activism trainings for youth in the nation, Cooper said.

“We’re starting to see more pop up as ways for youth to be empowered, explore their own ideas and give them skills on how to communicate and activate, both working within the system and pushing the limits,” she said. “Our new focus is doing it from a healthy place.”