Why Municipal Leaders Make Youth Leadership a City Priority

Nothing is more important to the health of our democracy than the active engagement of young people in representative government at the local level. For this reason, city leaders across the nation have sought creative and effective ways to ensure that youth from diverse backgrounds have a "seat at the table" in their cities and towns.

Youth participation and involvement in local government promotes the full and healthy development of young people. Through civic engagement, young people gain work experience, acquire new skills, learn responsibility and accountability, develop a greater sense of confidence and empowerment, and forge meaningful connections to other youth and adults. Research also suggests that young people who are involved in positive activities such as community service are less likely to pursue risky behaviors and get into trouble.

In addition, promoting youth voice in local government decision-making can help local officials enact better policies and programs, especially with regard to youth issues. By listening to youth and making them full partners in the decision-making process, cities have saved money on programs that are ineffective in reaching youth and directed resources toward more productive uses.

What Municipal Leaders Can Do to Promote Youth Voice in Local Government

There are many ways to promote youth participation in local government, and municipal leaders have developed a broad array of options for youth engagement and leadership, including:

• Promoting diverse forms of youth service;
• Establishing a youth advisory council;
• Hosting a youth summit or similar discussions involving young people;
• Appointing young people to local boards and commissions; and
• Conducing youth mapping projects to identify local resources for young people in the community as well as duplication of and gaps in services.