The main idea behind this step is to align the mission, structure, and activities of the youth council. It is important to aim for membership that is representative of the youth in the city while creating a diverse team. There is plenty of research to suggest that diverse organizations are more innovative and effective problem-solvers than homogeneous groups. Thus, consider expanding recruitment beyond “insider” networks.
Age Group
Middle and/or high school students
It can be challenging to try to include both 11-year-olds and 18-year-olds in the same youth council
Representation
Number of students from each middle and/or high school?
Public, charter, private, and home schools?
Members of local youth organizations?
Representatives from different neighborhoods?
Balance between urban, suburban and rural areas?
Diversity
Keep in mind that diversity has many dimensions, including (but not limited to) race/ethnicity, gender, cultural background, and socio-economics
Youth in foster care, teen parents, ability/disability and immigrant youth
Youths with varying interests and activities
Allow students to apply, or let principals or guidance counselors appoint their representatives?
Consider minimum grade point averages and/or maximum unexcused school absences in your policy, but look beyond the “best students” and existing student leaders
Length of Term
Take into consideration that some projects may take between 1-2 years to accomplish:
1st year: planning
2nd year: implementation
Size
Be mindful of how many members your youth council should include to keep its size manageable
Align size with the goals to avoid overwhelming members
Find a balance between size, representation, and diversity
Allocate Sufficient Time for Designing and Implementing the Recruitment Process
Organize recruitment so that all key expectations are clearly stated, including the amount of time and level of involvement that students are expected to commit
For example, how often will the youth council meet, and how much time are projects expected to take?
Design an Inviting Recruitment Strategy for Potential Candidates
State the benefits of participating
Initial mission, values and goals
Responsibilities
Deadline for applications
Consider a promotional video
Design a Similar Strategy for Adults (including school and community leaders as well as parents)
Advertise benefits for youth:
Increased academic competencies and self-esteem
Recognition among peers
Improved understanding of opportunities in and outside one’s community
Transferable skills
School and community engagement
Leadership
Soft skills such as creativity, emotional intelligence, self- and community-advocacy, public service, and time management
Importance for schools:
Alignment with district and school goals
Graduation outcomes
Opportunities for community collaborations
Connect with Diverse Community Leaders to Make the Recruitment Process as Inclusive as Possible:
School guidance counselors
School principals
Religious leaders
Chamber of Commerce leaders
Community center leaders
YMCA, YWCA and 4-H club leaders
Leaders of Boys and Girls Clubs
Sports team leaders
Recreation league volunteers
Connect with Parents
Write a letter and/or a social media post that introduces the youth council concept and describes its mission, values and goals, the application and selection process, and provides a contact information for further questions
Connect with Schools
Teachers - especially for civics, government, social studies and economics - might be important to consider when fine-tuning how to reach out to youth in effective ways
Ask school counselors to solicit applications
Request a meeting in which your contact person can discuss specifics with potential youth council candidates
Design posters and/or flyers for classrooms and other school spaces or offices
Post information on school websites
Discuss with schools which communication methods work best for them
Discuss with schools if they allow students to tie their participation in the youth council to school projects and initiatives
Involve Elected Officials and Staff
Have local government representatives attend relevant classes to talk about the youth council and local government
Consider morning school announcements or school assemblies to provide information on the recruitment process and the youth council in general
Spread the Word throughout the Whole Community
Create a news release or media event for local media
Use your local government website to inform people about the recruitment process
Design ways how community members and students can share information via social media platforms
Consider creating a hashtag for social media communications
Create a public event in which your contact person can share information and discuss specifics with the public and potential youth council candidates
Applications
Consider whether you want to use online and/or paper applications: the chosen method should not jeopardize the diversity of your youth council
Items to include in the application:
Personal information
Information about the council including membership criteria, initial mission, values and goals, expectations
Initial plan for meetings
Possible interview dates and locations
Instructions on how to submit the application
Consider using a spreadsheet to collect applicant information
Discuss whether you want to use teacher recommendations or recommendations from other professionals
Selection
Decide who will serve on the selection committee. Would it also include youth?
Will there be an interview? If so, plan in advance:
How much time is required for each interview
How they are structured
Who the interviewers are
How the interviewees are evaluated
How the results are communicated
While it is likely necessary to have adult interviewers in the first year, consider using youth interviewers in subsequent years.
What are the criteria if you have more applicants than can be included?
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