Making time for volunteerism is a task with which many people struggle, but when it happens, it can be a notch in the belt that helps catapult you along your career path.

In Ashleigh Potter’s case, volunteering with Lafayette’s Project YES (Youth Envisioning Social change) helped her earn academic credit toward her art and sociology degrees at the University of Colorado, and it moved her one step closer to realizing her long-term goal of working with an organization that shares her values of community development and environmental sustainability.

Project YES was delighted to receive a fantastic volunteer like Potter. The organization’s mission of creating leadership opportunities for youth through the arts and service is facilitated by volunteers like her. In short, the Potters of the world are vital to Project YES. It was a win-win situation.

Through art workshops and strategies that emphasize meaningful service and critical thinking, Project YES is empowering young people to be agents of positive social change, while simultaneously increasing leadership opportunities available to youth.

Project YES’s Youth Center in Lafayette houses free, regularly scheduled after-school and summer programs. Programs range from mural painting to classes in civic responsibility and cover the gamut in between.

Potter’s favorite project has been the community graffiti wall that she helped initiate. “The project gave me the opportunity to get to know a lot of the kids from very diverse backgrounds, including the two graffiti artists who came up with the idea,” Potter said.

Located on the side of the Youth Center’s art studio, the community graffiti wall can be painted on by anyone and is aimed at legitimizing the talents of aspiring teen artists while reducing unwanted graffiti throughout Lafayette. It is just one example of the activities that Project YES hosts to better the community and the youth who are a part of it.

“I really respect Project YES’s mission statement. It gives young people a safe place to express themselves artistically and learn different mediums,” Potter said. “Through Project YES, these kids are able to learn what they want to do in the world and where they want to be.”

For information about volunteering with Project YES or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904, or go to our Volunteer Central.