NYLC Hosts Roundtable on Youth Council Development

In response to requests for guidance on how to form, encourage, and make use of youth boards, NYLC convened representatives of eight organizations from across Minnesota for a roundtable discussion on March 8 entitled "Youth Councils: Creating Authentic Opportunities for Young People." More than 70 attendees from educational institutions, nonprofits, corporations, and local government entities began a dialogue about how to effectively integrate youth decision-making into organizational objectives. Attendees learned from service-learning researchers and veteran youth board members and coordinators about key aspects of youth leadership, including how to get started with youth boards, what activities have been successful in the past, and how to provide staffing and resources.

To support these initiatives, NYLC hopes to continue the dialogue through a network of support for start-up youth boards, and plans to develop toolkits and future trainings to encourage the formal integration of youth voice into organizations throughout the country.

For more information, visit http://www.nylc.org or contact NYLC Youth Initiatives staff members Sarah Ullmer or Amanda Larson.