YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Starting a Youth Council
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TIONAL
LEAGUE
OF CITIES
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Starting a Youth Council
Youth councils or youth advisory boards can provide an eective way to engage
youth in city government. Youth councils provide a conduit for youth voice to city
leadership, help promote civic engagement and community service, and foster an
understanding of how municipal government works.
Early Steps
City leaders exploring a youth council may want to take the following initial steps.
Strongly champion the need for authentic
youth engagement in your city
City leaders interested in creating a youth council
will best succeed if they serve as champions for a
culture of authentic youth civic engagement in local
governance.
Assess the level of readiness
Begin by gauging the level of readiness among
city ocials, sta and youth for the creation
of a youth council. NLC’s Perceptions Self-
Assessment can help.
Establish a planning committee that
involves diverse youth
To ensure genuine youth involvement from
the outset, convene a small, diverse group of
dedicated young people from the community
to collaborate on early planning and
recruitment. They can also serve as the core of
the youth council when it begins.
Look beyond city for collaboration
and support
Contact nearby municipalities who have youth
councils for advice on specific issues and
challenges. Reach out to national and state
organizations that oer training and technical
assistance in related skills that may prove
helpful in building a strong youth council.
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Authorization
Councils can be created and authorized by
Executive order, typically in the case of
Mayor’s Advisory Board;
Legislation; or
Charter amendment.
Among youth councils supported by a
required annual city budget allotment, most
are part of the city’s charter.
Considerations - Authorizing charter or
legislative language may be a key place to
enshrine opportunities for youth voice in
city governance. Most cities have more to
do to support routine youth engagement
in governance. Only seven of the surveyed
cities have routine youth council presence
at meetings, hearings or briefings of the city
government. More concerning, only four
reported routine or required youth council
input on city governance.
Funding
Typical costs of youth councils include:
Sta, whether part time or full time, to manage
the council;
Food, supplies, transportation support and/or
stipends for youth,
Event costs if youth host community
engagement or other events, and
Training and leadership development for youth.
Common funding sources to support youth
councils include city budget allocations,
philanthropic support, or fundraising by the
youth council. Some councils also combine
sources.
Regular City budget allocations: Allocate funds
required for running the youth council and their
projects into the city budget.
Community development block grant or
other grant funds: Use grant funds to fund the
operations of the youth council or give the youth
council the power to use grants to fund their
projects.
Private fundraising: Have members of the youth
council conduct fundraising events to fund their
projects.
Most surveyed cities, 82.5 percent, reported
that their youth councils are funded through
city budget contributions. About a third of
cities also rely on private fundraising to run
their youth councils.
Considerations - Budget-funded councils
can be subject to shifting priorities and fiscal
conditions, so city leader champions may
need to repeatedly advocate for funding.
Similarly, philanthropic support can disappear.
Relying on fundraising by the council itself
may make it challenging for youth from lower
income areas to fully participate.
Selection of Youth Council Members
Among the surveyed councils, how youth
join the youth council ties to the strength and
diversity of members, and youth members’
sense of their empowerment to create change.
Options and Considerations for Youth Councils
When considering starting a youth council,
city leaders will need to decide how to
fund and structure the youth council. NLC
conducted surveys of diverse youth councils
in 2017 and 2018 to learn about common
practices among councils and applied the
results to the following recommendations.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Most youth councils have fewer than 30
members, and half of surveyed councils have
fewer than 20, with 15- to 17-year-olds make up
more than half or all of most councils.
Common selection mechanisms among youth
councils include some combination of:
Referrals by schools or other agencies, such as
recreation and parks;
Appointment by the mayor or city council
members;
Elections by youth, often aligned with city
council districts;
Open enrollment;
Applications and interviews.
Among the smallest councils, the mayor or city
council appoints youth, or youth are elected to
the council by their peers. 83 percent of cities
reported having an application as a part of their
admissions process. Only the largest councils,
with over 50 members, commonly have open
enrollment.
Considerations - Selection processes that
achieved the most diverse youth members also
achieved the highest quality members, whereas
a selection process that includes appointment
by city ocials may be hampering these goals.
Councils that rated their application process
highest for recruiting high quality youth
members also rated highest for diversity among
youth members. Most of these councils identify
youth members through referrals from schools
or other agencies, combined with applications
and interviews, and do not use appointments
by city ocials. Cities considering an
appointment process may want to consider this
concerning note, but this relatively small survey
cannot fully establish or explain a trend.
Youth councils that select youth members
through elections by their peers stand out for
their diversity and youth feeling empowered
to create change. Elected youth councils are
among the most diverse councils. In addition,
peer elections was the only member selection
method rated highly eective at recruiting
empowered youth by all the councils that use it.
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How to Create a Diverse Youth Council
A common goal among youth councils is
to bring the voice of young people to city
government, and a key aspect of achieving
that goal is ensuring that the diverse voices
of youth in a city have a say. Youth in cities
experience homelessness, are involved in the
juvenile justice system, have disabilities, and
grow up in low income families, but youth
councils often struggle to eectively engage
these youth. Certain steps may help recruit a
diverse youth council, including:
Collaborate with schools, recreation centers,
libraries, after-school programs, community
organizations, and similar groups in diverse
neighborhoods.
Advertise in public places such as parks, libraries
and recreation centers.
Use social media to promote the initiative.
Turn to sta of schools and community
organizations to reach out to young people, while
stressing the importance of diversity.
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Youth Advisory Council
Join the Mt. Angel Youth Advisory Council!
The Mt. Angel Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is a group of 9-12th graders who are
interested in making a difference in the community. We are looking to add approximately
5-10 JFK Students to be a part of this Council.
Here are the key functions of the YAC:
Finding creative ways to educate the general public concerning issues affecting Mt. Angel's
youth.
Providing review and comment to elected officials and City decision-makers regarding
public issues, projects and proposals that have an impact on youth.
Working with the Mayor, City Council, City departments, Chamber of Commerce, civic
groups and other community organizations to create civic engagement opportunities for
local youth.
The Chairperson of the YAC will also serve as the Student City Councilor and will receive a
$500 scholarship for their leadership of this important group.
Here are some examples of things other Youth Advisory Councils have accomplished:
Peer Mentor Program
Teen Mental Health Awareness Program
Bullying Awareness
Students Speak Forum
Skate Park
Suicide Prevention Education Event
Job Fairs
Surveys
Community Service
Prescription Drug Takeback Event
Mural Project
Trip to Washington DC
These are offered only as ideas, what do you want to happen in Mt. Angel? This is your
chance to put your stamp on the future for Mt. Angel’s Youth!
Application Process:
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Please complete the application form below.
The interested students will attend the City Council Meeting on Monday, May 5, 2018
Each Student will be given 1 3 minutes to tell the Council about themselves and why they
are interested in being a Youth Advisory Council member.
The City Council will discuss what was learned each Student and make a decision on which
Student will be invited to become a member of the City Council.
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City of Mt. Angel Youth Advisory Council 2018-2019 Application
The mission of the Mt. Angel Youth Advisory Council is to serve and improve the Mt. Angel
community through positive activities, strengthening relationships, appreciating diversity, and
connecting youth to local government. Applicants must be entering into their 9th, 10th, 11th,
or 12th grade year and live in the Mt. Angel School District limits.
Applications and letters of recommendation are due by April 13th, 2018 at 5pm. Partial
applications, or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Contact Information
First name:
*
Last name:
*
Street:
*
City:
*
State:
* Zip: *
Primary phone:
*
Email address:
*
Date of birth:
*
School Information
The Youth Advisory Council is open to students who will be in grades 9-12. Please mark which
grade you are currently in.
*
What
grade are
you
currently in:
10th grade
11th grade
12th grade
8th grade
9th grade
College
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Availability
Members must attend mandatory meetings. Please list what other activities, clubs, or sports
you'll be in during the 2017-2018 school year and what days you are not available in the
evenings.
Mon
Tue
Thu
Fri
Morning:
Afternoon:
Evening:
Essay Questions
Please answer the following six essay questions regarding your qualifications to join the council.
All answers must be 200 words or less.
Question 1
How did you hear about the Youth Advisory Council?
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Question 2
What makes you the best candidate to be selected as a member of the Council? How will YAC
aid you in your future goals?
Question 3
Why is it important for youth to have a voice in local government?
Question 4
Describe a service project, initiative, or program that you have been involved with in your
school or community. Please be specific in describing the scope and impact of the project and
how you were involved.
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Question 5
What elected official inspires you and why?
Question 6
The Youth Advisory Council's three pillars are Education, Equality, and the Environment. Choose
one of these pillars and write about why it is important to you and the Mt. Angel community.
Letter of Recommendation
All applicants are responsible for submitting a letter of recommendation from a mentor, coach,
teacher, or someone who believes you will be a good fit for the Youth Advisory Council (no
parents or friends).
To submit a letter of recommendation:
- Send via email to Amber Mathiesen, amathiesen@ci.mt-angel.or.us
, with the subject line "YAC
Recommendation Letter"
- Mail the letter to the City of Mt. Angel, Attn: Amber MathiesenPO Box 960, Mt. Angel OR
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CITY OF SWEET HOME
YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
BYLAWS
Amended January 28, 2014
The purpose of the Sweet Home Youth Advisory Council:
Advise the Sweet Home City Council on issues that affect youth in our community
Provide the primary communication link for youth to government, business and the
entire community on a variety of subjects and opportunities
Identify and advocate the needs of youth in our community
Identify and carry out events and activities for the community which are important
to youth
Areas of interest that have been identified by the Council include:
Youth and government communicating and working together
Youth learning about government on a first-hand basis
Joint meeting with the City Council, the School Board, the Chamber of Commerce,
Service Clubs and Religious Groups
Joint events between youth, the City and other organizations in the community
Opportunities for community service
1. Principles:
a. We:
i. Are strongly committed to our purpose and goals
ii. Represent a variety of youth perspectives
iii. Reach the community through our actions and our actions are
directly related to what is important to youth
iv. Are a catalyst, bringing together youth and adults to create a better
community for everyone
v. Are leaders
b. We believe:
i. Everyone in the community deserves to be heard and respected
ii. Youth have a responsibility for making decisions which affect them
and their community
iii. Youth can make a difference
iv. Our work must make an impact in the community
c. We will:
i. Actively seek to engage youth in our work
ii. Strive to raise community awareness of youth issues
iii. Advocate youth participation in the community
iv. Represent youth by their strengths rather than their struggles
v. Advocate for youth and their concerns
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Sweet Home YAC Amended Bylaws
January 28, 2014
Page 2
2. Structure:
a. The Sweet Home Youth Advisory Council shall consist of 7 members as
follows:
High School Grades 9 12 2 positions, (1) 1 year term, (1) 2 year term
Junior High Grades 7-8 2 positions, (1) 1 year term, (1) 2 year term
At large Grades 7 12 3 positions, (3) 1 year term
b. Application and Appointment Procedures
Applications will be solicited annually beginning in April of each year, based
upon terms available for the upcoming year.
c. All prospective YAC members are required to attend a mandatory pre-
appointment orientation with a parent or legal guardian to be considered
further for appointment.
d. Prospective YAC Members will be interviewed by City Council members
e. City Council members will recommend appointments to the vacant terms
accordingly.
f. The YAC shall select at the first regular YAC meeting each year the
following officers with stated duties as follows:
i. Chair
1. Preside over and conduct regular meetings
2. Attend monthly and report to the City Council on matters of
interest of the YAC
ii. Vice Chair
1. In the absence of the Chair, preside over and conduct regular
and special meetings
2. In the absence of the Chair, attend monthly and report to the
City Council on matters of interest to the YAC
iii. Secretary
1. Assist in preparation and maintenance of YAC meeting
records
2. Maintain attendance records of YAC members
iii. Activities Coordinator
1. Coordinate activity and event committees
iv. Treasurer
1. Maintain financial records and report financial status to the
YAC
2. Assist with development of the YAC budget and present same
to City Budget Committee
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Sweet Home YAC Amended Bylaws
January 28, 2014
Page 3
g. The YAC year shall begin July 1, and run until June 30.
i. Regular meetings shall occur monthly on the third Tuesday of each
month
ii Meetings will be held in City of Sweet Home City Hall or other
locations as determined by the YAC.
3. Election of Officers and Members:
a. The YAC shall elect the officers from the current YAC members at the first
regular meeting in July for the coming year
b. Applications for YAC membership shall be made available during the first
week in April
i. If a vacancy occurs midterm, the YAC Board and City Council shall
appoint a member to fill the vacancy
4. Attendance Requirements:
a. Three absences without notice to the YAC Chair, or to the assigned City
Council representative in case of absences by the YAC Chair, will subject
the member to removal from the YAC by the City Council.
b. The Chair, Vice Chair or other appointed YAC member will attend the
second meeting of the City Council each month to report on activities of the
YAC to the City Council.
c. YAC members may be assigned to attend various city meetings and report
back on same.
d. YAC members shall make a good faith effort to attend any/all special events
or activities as sponsored or endorsed by the YAC.
5. Rules of Procedure:
a. Regular Meetings shall use basic Parliamentary procedure
i. Members shall respect and encourage various points of view and all
members of the YAC will have an equal voice and vote
ii. Members shall seek consensus on issues whenever practicable
b. A quorum of over 50% of the filled positions shall be present in order for the
Council to take formal action or make recommendations to the City Council.
c. YAC meetings are open to the Public and youth of the community are
especially encouraged to attend and participate.
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Sweet Home YAC Amended Bylaws
January 28, 2014
Page 4
6. Administrative Support
City Council:
The Mayor and/or an appointed City Council member shall
attend all regular YAC meetings
City Administration:
The City Manager and/or his/her designee shall attend and provide
administrative support to the YAC
Financial Support:
The City shall consider funding for YAC activities and programs as part of
the City’s annual budgeting process.
YAC Bylaws Amended January 28, 2014
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