Civic and Policy Engagement of Youth

Civic and Policy Engagement of Youth

Engaging youth in communities, schools and the civic process is critical to the success of many youth and a positive influence on the healthy development of all youth. Providing role models, working with mentors and connecting kids to caring adults are all things that make it easier for youth to turn away from negative influences and continue on a path to successful citizenship and adulthood.

Positive Youth Development is an approach to develop programs and services for children and youth that emphasizes building skills and assets in addition to preventing common negative outcomes. This page provides a broad overview of strength-based approaches to youth and the role of government in encouraging programs and activities that build resiliency in kids.

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Policy Engagement

Legislators continue to be attentive to engaging youth in the policymaking process. Both the executive and legislative branches have shown interest in listening to youth and bringing them to the policymaking table through the creation of youth councils, legislative advisory boards, youth cabinets and task forces. Youth in California, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and New York have contributed to policy affecting schools, foster care mental health services and youth drug addiction, education and treatment.

There are currently six states that have Legislative Youth Advisory Councils (LYACs) and two states with proposed legislation, Colorado and Maryland. LYACs are groups of elected or appointed youth that are mandated to examine and make recommendations on issues important to youth, such as, education, employment opportunities, substance about and physical health to the Legislature. Some of the councils have legislative members. This chart outlines this new national trend that is engaging youth in the policy making process.

Links to State LYACs
Maine
New Mexico
Washington

To see legislative language, mission statements and website addresses for other state youth boards, see NCSL's Youth Boards, Commissions, Councils and Task Forces.

Civic Engagement

Engaging youth in civic participation and citizenship is an important legislative priority. In the 2006 legislative session, Arizona and Tennessee created state Commissions on Civic Education to promote participation in political and civic activities and improve civic education within schools. To see summaries of legislation that focus on mentoring, role models and other strategies for engaging youth in positive activities click here.

For comprehensive information on civic education and Legislators Back-to-School Program, take a look at NCSL's Trust For Representative Democracy.

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For more information regarding youth issues, please contact Stephanie Walton in the Denver office at 303.364.7700 or cyf-info@ncsl.org or either Sheri Steisel or Lee Posey in the D.C. office at 202.624.5400 or fedhumserv-info@ncsl.org.

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