The global context of youth engagement: A scoping review of youth councils in municipal government

Abstract

Youth engagement in policy decision-making can benefit youth and their communities. Youth bodies at the municipal level, in the form of councils, commissions, and advisory boards, are one common mechanism to engage youth. There are numerous examples of municipal youth councils across the globe, yet no cross-county studies that compile the lessons from these efforts. The aim of the present study was to gather and synthesize research pertaining to municipal youth councils in an international context. The study used a scoping review protocol to collect and analyze data on the existence, origin, structure, activities, barriers, and impacts of municipal youth councils. The results show robust examples of municipal youth councils globally, however, there is wide variation in the origin, structure, and activities. Furthermore, there has been little attention to measure policy and community impacts. The study results demonstrate the promise of youth engagement in policy decision-making, but also the need for more systematic research documenting the best practices and impacts of municipal youth councils.