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Youth in Action works with and through the National Youth Action Council to establish Youth Action Councils at the local, regional, and state levels through various elected officials.
What is a Youth Action Council?
Youth Action Councils are teams of 7 to 15 youth leaders ages 16 to 24 who meet bi annually (more often if mutually convenient) with elected officials to help represent the voices, ideas and solutions of youth.
Youth Action Councils work cooperatively with adult representatives to ensure that the ideas and solutions of youth are being recognized, supported, and utilized to improve our communities.
Youth Action Councils are developed in conjunction with the National Youth in Action Campaign to work with U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Governors Association, Congress, the Senate and the White House. They are designed to provide a sustained and interconnected voice for youth to add their ideas, solutions and actions to help shape our collective agenda and future.
What is the role of an elected official?
As an elected official, you...
- Agree to meet twice a year with your Youth Action Council. Listen to, advise, and (where appropriate) incorporate the Council's recommendations (2 hrs.)
- Provide space and coordination assistance for the Council meetings.
- Attend a yearly award ceremony or send official representation if the Council works to give out local Youth in Action Awards (1 hr.)
- Help to report youth recommendations, solutions and award winning projects to media outlets.
- Provide a yearly report to your Council. Such a report could include adult and legislative feedback to the recommendations and ideas compiled by the Council from youth in their district or state.
- Help to promote awareness and recruitment for their Youth Action Council. This can include youth outreach through school, youth serving organization and media contacts.
Total Time Commitment: 3 hours per year
What is the role of youth involved? (ages 16 to 24)
As a member of a Youth Action Council, you will...
- Agree to meet a minimum of twice per year with their representative(s). (2 hrs.)
- Follow National Youth Action Council Constitution & application process.
- Elect a Council Chairperson to coordinate meetings with elected representative and schedule additional face to face or on line Council meetings, awards programs and media events.
- Use the Internet and direct mail to invite full and diverse youth participation to join the Action Council and send in ideas and solutions for inclusion at bi annual meetings. (5 hrs.)
- Gather responses and use consensus to determine the top district/state issues and solutions of youth. (10 hrs.)
- Create a newsletter to share Council developments, results of meetings and youth initiated community improvement projects with you, the representative; schools; participating youth serving organizations; and the National Youth Action Council (5 hrs.)
- Prepare a two to three page annual report of youth recommendations and solutions to present to you, the representative, and the National Youth Action Council. (3 hrs.)
- Promote the National Youth in Action Campaign and awards programs to youth in the area. (This can include fund development and distribution for a locally based Youth in Action Awards program)
Total Time Commitment: 25 hours per year
Youth in Action Awards are $100 to $1,000 awards given by the National Youth
Action Council for the top youth-initiated community service and improvement projects nationwide. Local and state Youth Action Councils may chose to develop similar awards to encourage youth-led community improvement.
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