YCP

Start here

Start here

You do not need to read every section on your first visit. This short path gets you set up and gives you a first taste of how YCP teaches. It should take about half an hour.

The five steps

  1. 01

    Join the Discord server

    The server is open to everyone. Join it first. You will land in the GATE channels with the New role until your website account is connected. Read #rules while you wait.

    Join the server

  2. 02

    Create a free account

    You need a website account before Discord can match your roles. Membership is free, and public pages can still be read without one.

    Join free

  3. 03

    Connect Discord

    On your member desk, open Discord and connect the same Discord account you used to join the server. Your roles follow the website, so once your agreements are on file, the bot gives you Member and the rest of the server opens.

    Connect Discord

  4. 04

    Read one rights page

    Start with the First Amendment. It covers speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition, and it explains why a public school, a private app, and Congress are different settings. It is one page, not the whole library.

    Open the First Amendment

  5. 05

    Finish one module

    Open Module A, "What is a right?", read it, and answer the four questions at the end. It explains the difference between a constitution, a statute, a school handbook, and a platform's rules, which is the idea the rest of the site builds on.

    Open the module

Chat and service hours stay locked until the agreements are signed. Members ages 13 to 17 also need family consent from a parent or guardian.

After the first five steps

Once you have the basics, here are good next moves:

  • Keep going in Learn. Finish two modules to reach Reader, five to reach Analyst, and all eight to become a Civic Builder. Learn
  • Try Case of the Day. A new classroom hypothetical posts every day. Read the scenario, decide which rule applies, and then read the discussion. Case of the Day
  • Check This week. It collects one case, one module, one printable sheet, and any events officers have published. This week
  • Look up your state. The Your State page shows where to find your district's student code, your state's labor rules, and your elections office.
  • Introduce yourself. Once you have the Member role, say hello in #introductions. Please do not share your full name, school, address, or other personal details.
  • Log service. If you lead a session or help with materials, log it on the Service page so an officer can review it.

Tips for using the site

  • Look for the label on each page. U.S. law is marked as U.S. law. If you live somewhere else, check your own country's rules.
  • Pages explain general rules. They cannot tell you how your own situation will turn out. For that, talk with a trusted adult and a licensed lawyer.
  • If you are ever in danger, contact local emergency services first. In the United States, call 911.

If online giving or a scholarship cycle is not open, those pages say so.