Young people from across the Northeast gathered at the Niagara Falls Convention Center to think, question, and act, demonstrating the power of youth development and mentoring, at the 2026 Youth Action Conference, held on April 30, 2026. Nearly 500 participants, including public and independent middle and high school students, chaperones, social work students from Niagara University and The University at Buffalo, and community partners, gathered for a half-day conference focused on elevating youth voice and leadership.
Dr. Rolanda L. Ward, professor of social work and endowed faculty director of the Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko Center, which sponsors the annual conference, emphasized the importance of this year’s theme, “Embracing Perspectives: Initiating Dialogue to Challenge Fear.” She said, “As emerging leaders, young people need safe and secure spaces where they can exchange ideas and desires for our collective society. I am very proud of the leadership and mentoring our social work students demonstrate in co-curating this annual conference. The Youth Action Conference is the premier, exclusively led youth conference in the Northeast region.”
At the heart of the conference is the Youth Council, a cohort of middle school and high school leaders from across Western New York who design and implement the conference. Youth Council members meet every other week for four months to identify the conference theme, workshop topics centered on justice, leadership, and student well-being, and award criteria.
MENTOR New York, a sponsor of the conference, trains Niagara University social work students in evidence-informed mentoring mindset skills, which deepen engagement, improve the quality of workshops, and strengthen relationships between university students and youth participants. Brenda Jimenez, MENTOR New York CEO, said, “We are committed to partnering with Niagara University to equip the next generation of student leaders. Young people already have the capacity to engage in critical conversations, and we are honored to stand with them as they identify how quality mentoring relationships and meaningful dialogue can challenge fear, build understanding, and transform their school environments.”
The Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko Center is committed to reducing barriers so that young people from various communities and backgrounds can attend the conference at no cost. The Center is grateful for long time, community partners who financially sponsor the conference: the Education Collaborative of WNY, MENTOR New York, Community Missions Inc., the University at Buffalo Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences (CIGBS), The National Federation for Just Communities WNY, Northpointe Council, United Way Niagara, Catholic Health, and the Community Health Alliance of Niagara Falls for Everyone.
