A wave of democratic governance ? an emphasis on civic engagement in local government ?has many elected officials excited about the varied ways they can apply participatory, deliberative and collaborative principles to their cities.

In many cities, there is also renewed need for local leaders to revisit issues of democracy and governance and how to actively engage youth.

In communities across the country, the democratic space is being widened to allow a broadened decision-making process. The process may be neither smooth nor easy, but youth have shown to be a group that is especially adaptable to change and show abundant energy.

It is widely viewed that young people are unlikely agents of change; however, they are overlooked for all the wrong reasons.  Young people are increasingly informed on the challenging issues and are shaping their opinions about their role in society. At such a time in their lives, engagement in the community is key both for their own benefit and the benefit of the city in which they live.

The Need for Youth Political Participation

Young people are volunteering in high numbers, but are falling behind in political participation, according to a new paper by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

The paper, ?Straight From the Horse?s Mouth,? is based on discussions between Wisconsin college students and two of the state?s U.S. Representatives, Tammy Baldwin (D) and Mark Green (R).

The paper suggests that one way to increase youth involvement in politics may be to develop more models that allow students the opportunity to engage in realistic political exercises through their schools or other places of civic education.

Students remarked that working in a soup kitchen prepared them for service work and volunteering, but it did not prepare them to advocate for policies to decrease homelessness.

?Students repeatedly said that they hadn?t received an education in politics. They do not know who their assemblyman is, or how to get involved in a campaign or even how to register to vote,? according to the paper.

?The politicians admitted that adults had done a very poor job preparing young people for their roles as citizens. Green said that it was as if a light was supposed to go off when someone turned 18. He said that expectation was unfair and highlighted a failure on the part of politicians,? the paper noted.

Apart from offering fresh and honest perspectives, youth are a constituency that is ready, willing and able to take on responsibilities.

Give them a role, and they will roll with it. Leave them alone, and you will never know what you are missing.

The clich? ?youth are the future? really fits when talking about the long-term sustainability of a municipality.

Acknowledging the value added of ?investing? in youth, elected officials are asking themselves what they can do to include youth in the democratic process.

Youth Involvement Opportunities

Often youth groups are not organized in a manner in which they are able to articulate their issues as well as other movements can. Therefore, adults must endeavor even more to be allies and encourage an environment that is safe from blame or judgment.

Direct language and honest sharing of information about struggles and achievements show that elected officials are making the steps needed to share the power and work with youth.

Municipal leaders can promote youth involvement in various ways, especially through youth forums and youth summits.

For elected leaders reaching out to youth, youth forums provide an outlet for engaging and connecting with young constituents. Youth forums are open, interactive meetings that allow youth to voice their concerns about the city to the community and local elected officials.

City council members, the mayor and other city leaders hear ? from the youth themselves ? the issues affecting their lives and their ideas for addressing them.

Youth summits are another opportunity for local elected officials and their youth constituents to have a fun, meaningful interaction. They are usually larger events that take place over the course of a day.

Summits offer chances for youth to talk, to sing, perform skits or do comedy acts ? all with a message about issues affecting youth. Workshops may be offered that address problems in the community or allow for skill building.

Participants can enjoy the entertainment and examine resource tables set up by community-based organizations, for information on summer jobs, afterschool programs, etc.

Things to Remember

When carrying out events and for youth, there are useful guidelines:

?           Allow youth to help plan the meeting: Giving youth a seat at the planning table not only gives them a sense of leadership, but also is an opportunity for gaining their input and advice.

?           Get community buy-in: Youth forums can be fun and interesting, but also need buy-in from the community. Inviting local businesses to contribute food or space helps build relationships between youth and their community and makes the event enjoyable as well as informative.

?           Think of creative ways to fund youth events: Funding events is not always easy. City budgets may or may not be able to support the full cost of youth events. Creative fundraisers such as T-shirt sales, car washes or rallies are ways to include youth in this essential step. Volunteers are also another great way to staff youth summits or youth forums.

?           Keep in mind the time and date that students can attend: Remember that school hours will always affect event planning. Weekends, afterschool hours or holidays are usually best and allow for full youth participation.

?           Plan follow up activities: Youth want to know that their opinions matter and are being taken seriously. Follow-up steps may vary depending on the situation, but they are important ways so that both youth and adults keep the momentum moving.

?           Youth are already in the vanguard of social change. They can be the ones to show that it does not have to be business as usual, but first, they need to be brought to the table.

?           Municipal leaders are increasingly excited about the prospect of working with youth on a regular basis ? an important step to creating an open democratic city-wide culture.