International Conference
Please view the comprehensive conference guide if you have any questions about Lead. Innovate. Collaborate.
About WFYC’s Annual International Conference
Hundreds of WFYC Conference attendees from across the globe gather to learn the most current youth development practices and ideas from experts and colleagues. They leave informed, inspired, and better prepared to be an even more valuable asset to the youth and families they serve.
This year’s engaging, completely virtual conference takes place from June 21 – 23 and is sure to educate and inspire attendees to find new ways to provide safe, nurturing and inclusive spaces for young people.
Haga clic aquí para leer más sobre Liderar – Innovar – Colaborar en español.
Registration is now open to everyone!
Click here to register today!
Event Details
- Informative daily sessions, view agenda.
- FREE for all to attend this 100% virtual event.
- More than 25 speakers from 10 countries.
- Conference opens daily at 8:30 am. Sessions begin at 9:00 am. Sign in early to learn how to use the platform, visit exhibitor booths, and network!
- Keynote speakers with live questions and answers, youth talent showcase, prize drawings, exhibitor booths, networking session and more!

New in 2023
- Daily session replay.
- Listen to sessions in English or Spanish.
- Multi-Language platform navigation.
- Networking with clubs around the world.
- Promise Awards information session.
- Optional sessions to choose from in addition to main event.
Speaker and Session Information
Click on the speakers below to read more about their session.

Christina Friend

Adine Zornow

Dr. Jarmese Sherrod
S.I.M.P. Inc. & She will Legacy

Duane Wilson
Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County

Fiorella Velarde
Six Seconds

Violet Way
Boys & Girls Clubs of Malibu

Maria Vogel
Boys & Girls Clubs of Malibu

Darcy Weaver
Advocates for Youth

Courtney Kimmel
Captain Planet Foundation

Chris Yadon
Saprea

Liadi Yusuff
iLead Africa

Gabriel Escaffi
Advisors for Social Impact

Alejandro Lima
Advisors for Social Impact

Anjela Jenkins
Special Olympics

Javiera S.

Suriya Khong
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties

Vanessa T.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties

Gigi G.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties

Annetta Wilson
Media Training & Coaching

Ron McHenry
Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County

Mona Dixion

Rick Goings

Susan Goings
Sponsorship or Exhibitor Booth opportunities are available for Lead-Innovate-Collaborate, for more information contact Abby Lemay, alemay@wfyc.org

Christina Friend
Joined by Mike McTernan
Going Beyond the Event – Creating Mission Loyalists!
Learn from experienced fundraisers how to leverage volunteers and committees to raise money at your next event, and for years to come! Discover how to move your event attendees from participants to friends of your organization.

Adine Zornow
Joined by Mike McTernan
Going Beyond the Event – Creating Mission Loyalists!
Learn from experienced fundraisers how to leverage volunteers and committees to raise money at your next event, and for years to come! Discover how to move your event attendees from participants to friends of your organization.

Dr. Jarmese Sherrod
Empowering Youth Leaders through Selfless Service: Strategies for Success
In a world of social media, likes, and clout baiting, how do we readjust our scope to prioritize the true fundamentals needed to help us unite and be a part of the solution to change the world? Discussion explores how best to teach youth critical thinking and conflict management.

Duane Wilson
Growing Your Organization for Impact and Sustainability
Consistent, sustainable growth is a fundamental goal for your organization. It’s important to be prepared for the obstacles that might arise on the exciting path to growth. This discussion provides key strategies for effective, sustainable growth.

Fiorella Velarde
Reflect, Breathe, Act: How a Culture of Self-Reflection and Mindfulness Can Drive Organizational Success
Discussing the importance of self-awareness, and answering the ultimate question: What happens when self-reflection and breathing become part of the organizational culture?

Violet Way

Maria Vogel
Joined by Maria Vogel and Peggy Zherdev
Amplifying program impact with Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Discussing how to implement mental health practices to create effective programs that create long-lasting positive impact, providing understanding of current mental health teams, the confidence to start implementing best practices in your clubhouse, and the excitement to connect with your members on a new level!

Darcy Weaver
It’s AMAZING!
Discussing promising practices and lessons learned for scale-up and facilitation of regional and country-level adaptations of digital sexuality education resources.

Courtney Kimmel
Planeteer Clubs: Programming to Engage Youth in Building a Climate Positive Future
Discussing opportunities to engage youth in accelerating known solutions to climate change within diverse communities, including accessible and impactful climate solution action projects for young people in global communities to engage in.

Chris Yadon
Prevent and Recognize Child Sexual Abuse
Comprehensive discussion of the issue of child sexual abuse and available resources, how protection from child sexual abuse positively intersects with youth programming, and how to recognize and respond to signs of child sexual abuse.

Liadi Yusuff
Youth Digital Leadership
Discussing how to best provide young citizens with innovative opportunities that develop the values, attitudes, skills, and necessary knowledge required for every citizen to participate fully in their communities.

Gabriel Escaffi

Alejandro Lima
Joined by Alejandro Lima
Mapping Sustainability: Linking Strategies and Tools for CSOs
Discussing ways to achieve success through strategic stakeholder mapping, digital communication, and fundraising to raise awareness amongst organizations’ audiences.
Session Facilitated in Spanish! English Interpretation Available

Anjela Jenkins
![Javiera pic[7354] 2 (1)](https://i0.wp.com/wfyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Javiera-pic7354-2-1.png?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1)
Javiera S.
Joined by Javiera S.
From Accessibility to Inclusion: A Win-Win for Youth With and Without Disabilities
Anjela and Javiera discuss the importance of inclusive spaces. Participants will receive orientation on how to assess and improve the accessibility of their programs and activities, as a key first step to promoting inclusion.
Session Facilitated in Spanish! English Interpretation Available

Suriya Khong

Vanessa T.

Gigi G.
Joined by Vanessa T. and Gigi G.
Cultural Immersion Experience
Hear from Club staff and participants about this program’s creation and success. Club members will share their largest takeaways and advice for other Clubs looking to implement a similar program.

Annetta Wilson
You’ve Got Less Than 15 Seconds. Impress Me! How to Give the Perfect Elevator Pitch
Discussing the step-by-step system to create a short, unusual, and sometimes quirky reply to the question “What do you do?” in the time it takes for a short elevator ride.

Ron McHenry
Stewardship Concepts for Long-Term Growth
This discussion defines good stewardship practices and how they’re integrated throughout a mission-centered agency, leveraging relationships with long-term implications, advancing the mission of an organization in a holistic manner.

Mona Dixon
Mona Dixon shares inspiration, encouragement, and practical tips about sharing your story and communicating with others about your work.

Rick Goings

Susan Goings
Join Rick and Susan Goings for closing thoughts and reflections on the 3-day virtual conference, Lead-Innovate-Collaborate.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Lead-Innovate-Collaborate?
Lead-Innovate-Collaborate takes place on June 21, 22, and 23. Join WFYC each day from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm EDT (UTC-4).
What time is the conference?
Each day will feature 3 hours of conference session content, between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm EDT (UTC-4). The conference opens at 8:30 am EDT (UTC-4) to allow time to explore the conference event features, which include networking and exhibitor booths from WFYC partner organization.
Will this conference be virtual or in-person?
This conference will be entirely virtual, meaning that all you need to do to attend is to register. Once you’ve done so, you’ll be all set and ready to join the fun in June!
How do I register?
Complete a short form on the Lead-Innovate-Collaborate event registration page.
After registration, be sure to complete your attendee profile! An attendee profile enables attendees to share their contact information, organization affiliation and helps other attendees understand who is attending this conference with them. Plus, your profile makes it clear who is communicating in the conference chat! Learn more about creating your attendee profile here.
How do I join the event on June 21, 22 and 23?
Attendees will receive emails before and on the day of the event with your access link.
How many tickets can I reserve?
There is no limit to the number of tickets you can reserve, however, WFYC respectfully requests that you reserve only the number of tickets you are certain will be utilized. WFYC recommends registering 1 person per work location.
However, even if your club reserves just a single ticket, there are still plenty of opportunities to get your entire team involved in the event. Consider using this conference as a team-building opportunity and bring in food and snacks for each day. Some organizations host a “watch party” at their Club or office and end each day with an in-depth discussion on how to turn information into action in their communities. Learn more about how WFYC Affiliate Members can attend as a team with our Conference Attendance Guide.
How do I access the event?
Lead-Innovate-Collaborate is a completely virtual event, accessible anywhere in the world with an internet connection. Attendees may join the event from an internet browser – including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox. Please note that Hopin is not accessible from Apple Safari or other internet browsers. Click here to learn more about Hopin’s internet browser compatibility.
Attendees may also join Lead-Innovate-Collaborate on their mobile devices using the Hopin mobile app, available on the App Store or Google Play.
To ensure your location has access to Lead-Innovate-Collaborate, please contact your company’s IT department to ensure that your company’s firewall allows access to the event.
Click here to learn more about Hopin’s network connectivity settings.
Will there be breaks?
Yes! There will be dedicated time for breaks, in addition to transition time between every session. Some breaks will feature creative or performing arts programs from the WFYC global community. Look forward to seeing these talented youth in June!
Will the conference be available in multiple languages?
Yes! Most conference content will be aired in English and will include English closed captions. Attendees may listen to all main conference content in English or Spanish using the interpretation function.
In addition to English and Spanish conference content, attendees may navigate the conference platform in a variety of languages. Learn more about changing the site navigation language here. However, please note that WFYC provides conference session content in English and Spanish only at this time.
What happens if I miss a day of the conference?
Visit the conference platform anytime between June 21 and 23 to replay any session that you miss. Please note: Spanish interpretation is only available during the live sessions. However, English closed captions are available when replaying a session. After the event, all sessions will be uploaded to WFYC’s Youtube channel.
What kind of interactive elements will be a part of the conference?
There are many ways to interact with conference attendees, speakers, partners and WFYC at the event.
Each day includes WFYC staff and guest speakers live on the conference platform to welcome and guide you through the event. The conference will also feature daily prize drawings for attendees that you must be present to win. In addition to this live engagement, you can visit partner exhibitor booths or the WFYC team anytime between 8:30 am and 12:30 pm daily. Our final day of Lead-Innovate-Collaborate will include an optional networking session for attendees who are ready to connect with their peers. This is an opportunity to form relationships with people from all around the world and to learn how your fellow clubs go above and beyond in providing their youth the best care they can. We hope everyone can make it!
What kind of networking opportunities will be available at this virtual conference?
Attendees will have several opportunities to network with their international peers throughout the conference platform. The conference includes live and interactive chat, as well as the ability for attendees to create a public attendee profile. Finally, Day 3 of the event will feature a networking session for attendees to connect with others around the world and form relationships that could extend beyond this conference.
How can attendees give their feedback on the conference?
Feedback plays a very important role in the way WFYC develops the conference each year. As a result, attendees are invited to participate in a conference survey to help WFYC continue to improve this event in the future. We take your feedback very seriously and will do our best to act upon it for next year’s event. Speaker evaluations and the event survey will be available on the conference platform and sent via email in the days following the conference. We look forward to hearing from you!
Additional comments and suggestions may be directed to admin@wfyc.org.
How can I access technical support during the live event?
This year, WFYC has partnered with Meeting Tomorrow, a conference production team, to host and manage this conference. Meeting Tomorrow will be available during the conference hours to assist with any technical issues that may arise.
2022 Conference Highlight
HELPFUL LINKS

SPEAKERS
