Supporting Organizations

The YOUmedia Community of Practice is supported by many different organizations, who offer additional resources that are beneficial to network members:


YOUmedia Learning Labs Network:

The labs are creative, transformative, and dynamic spaces. With a commitment to equity and digital inclusion, they expand opportunities for interest-driven learning by youth. YOUmedia Learning Labs are centered around production and guided by a core philosophy that youth are best engaged when they are discovering and following their passions, collaborating with others, and being makers and doers.

The Community of Practice was started as a place for educators and mentors from YOUmedia Learning Labs to connect online. To see if there is a YOUmedia Learning Lab near you, visit the location map.



Association of Science-Technology Centers:

ASTC is a global organization providing collective voice, professional support, and programming opportunities for science centers, museums, and related institutions, whose innovative approaches to science learning inspire people of all ages about the wonders and the meaning of science in their lives.

ASTC supports the development and maintenance of the YOUmedia Community of Practice, as well as many others for STEM education and museum practitioners. YouMedia members may also benefit from joining other CoPs including: Advocates for Diversity, Making & Tinkering Spaces in Museums, Research & Evaluation, STEAM, and STEM Afterschool. For a complete list, and information on joining other CoPs visit the ASTC Communities of Practice page.


National Writing Project:

Unique in breadth and scale, the NWP is a network of sites anchored at colleges and universities and serving teachers across disciplines and at all levels, early childhood through university. They provide professional development, develop resources, generate research, and act on knowledge to improve the teaching of writing and learning in schools and communities.

NWP has used its expertise creating communities to support the the YOUmedia Learning Lab Network and development of resources and resource development retreats. NWP is the fiscal agent for the YOUmedia Learning Labs Network.