1. Best Practices for Youth Councils: Lessons for the City of Buffalo
MPA Project - Bria S. Johnson
Project Advisor: Laurie Buonanno, PhD/Second Reader: Suparna Soni, PhD
Literature Review
Abstract
Analysis
The literature suggests youth programs are crucial to youth development. They teach youth leadership skills that should be beneficial in their future. The literature on other youth councils serves as a basis to structure youth councils, outline their purpose, and implement their missions. The NLC AYCE Guidelines uses the 4S as a blueprint for programs to encourage youth involvement in local government. The 4s are: setting, structure, strategy, and support. Setting involves whether the community’s civic climate is welcoming and inviting to youth. Structure is the organization and system that supports AYCE. Strategy offers a wide range of activities and provides youth with a breadth and depth of meaningful opportunities for participation in local government. Support constitutes the adult allies within and outside of local government (National League of Cities, 2010). The literature review includes a survey of youth councils in other cities, specifically in Spokane, Washington; Hampton, Virginia; Sanford, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Westchester County, New York.
AYCE 4s
UDYC
Hampton Youth Commission
Ann Arbor Youth Council
City of Sanford Youth Council
Setting
Meets at a community building and also at a high school located in the University District.
Have bi-weekly meetings.
Meets at the Ruppert Sargent Building.
Meets the first three Mondays of each month.
This is an organization under the AAACF.
Meet every second and fourth Tuesday of every month.
Structure
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Majority Leader, President Pro Tempore, and 3 general body members.
Age range between years-old.
25 members.
Members are in grades 9-12.
Five leadership roles: two co-chairs, secretary, youth trustee, and trustee-in-training.
12 members.
Chair and vice chair.
Members come from two local high schools.
Strategy
Volunteered at; Back to School Kickoff, Christmas on Bailey, and University United Festival.
Formulated legislation on loitering.
Seats on City Planning Board.
Hampton Community Plan Youth Component Update
Youth Friendly Event Guidebook
Youth Friendly Business List
Learn how philanthropy and volunteering can make a meaningful change in the community.
Awards $80,000 in grants to youth organizations, programs, and services.
Conducts a needs assessment.
Initiatives: job fair, Boys and Girls Club, peace, and homelessness.
Support
There was no real budget for the UDYC.
There was very little adult help.
Supported by one Councilmember.
Budget is a line item in the City of Hampton’s overall city budget.
Mayor, Common Council, School Board, and City Planning Board.
Supported by the AAACF.
Adult allies include Ann Arbor Youth Council Alumni.
City Commission sets aside $2,000.
Adult allies: school representatives, city staff liaison.
Mayor and City Commission.
Local businesses.
Other youth councils.
In 2014, Councilmember Rasheed N.C. Wyatt created the University District Youth Council (UDYC), comprised of students from ages 13-18, to get youth involved in their community and local government; but, the UDYC did not live up to the Councilmember’s expectations. The National League Cities (NLC) Authentic Youth Civic Engagement (AYCE) Guidelines has four (4S) categories in regards to youth involvement in local government. This study compares the UDYC to the AYCE Guidelines 4S and to other youth councils across the United States. The conclusion was that the City of Buffalo Youth Council should replace the current UDYC. The new youth council should utilize both the AYCE Guidelines and the Florida League of Cities Handbook. (
Recommendations
Introduction
Sample & Methodology
Youth councils are a way for youth to get involved in their communities, by being active in local government and governance. They have the opportunity to formulate legislation and be part of the decision-making process. Some youth councils provide funding for other youth programs in their communities. Youth councils can give young people a meaningful role in the policy and decision making process (Martin, Pittman, Ferber, & McMahon, 2007). The UDYC was supposed to provide the youth of the University District the opportunity to voice their concerns about the community, and be a major stakeholder in the community, but it was not successful due to lack of participation. The purpose of this project is to understand the UDYC’s weaknesses and to discover the optimal youth council model for the City of Buffalo.
AYCE 4s
City of Buffalo Youth Council
Setting
Will meet in the City of Buffalo Common Council Conference Room.
Will meet twice a month.
Structure
20-25 members
Three members in leadership roles: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Community Liaison.
Strategy
First monthly meeting will be a leadership training session.
Second monthly meeting will be conducted by the President.
Support
The City of Buffalo Common Council
Adult representatives
Local businesses
This qualitative study is designed as a comparative study based on strengths and weaknesses of youth councils. 1) Data are collected through a content analysis and interviews with adults involved with the UDYC, Ann Arbor Youth Council, City of Sanford Youth Council. The setting, structure, strategy, and support of each youth council is evaluated. The UDYC is compared to other youth councils that are successful. The youth councils were selected based both on convenience and perceived success: Hampton Youth Commission, Ann Arbor Youth Council, and City of Sanford Youth Council.
References
Martin, S., Pittman, K., Ferber, T., & McMahon, A. (2007). Building Effective Youth Council`.
National League of Cities. (2010). Authentic Youth Civic Engagement A Guide for Municipal Leader.