Youth in Governance: Supports and Resources Are Critical Components for Youth Success

Abstract

Children, Youth and Environments 15(2), 2005 Youth in Governance: Supports and Resources Are Critical Components for Youth Success Anne Hipskind Christine Poremski Youth and Family Enrichment Services San Mateo County, California Citation: Hipskind, Anne and Christine Poremski. (2005). “Youth in Governance: Supports and Resources Are Critical Components for Youth Success.” Children, Youth and Environments 15(2): 245-253. Comment on This Article Abstract Involving youth in governance can be an important way to ensure that their needs are being met by the community and also an opportunity for positive development for the youth involved. However, if young people are thrust into adult institutions without appropriate supports and resources, they may not be fully engaged, and can end up feeling isolated or bored. Youth who are participating fully in adult governance organizations require active mentorship and support by adults, and access to resources for them to experience success in their roles. They must feel that their input is valued, and must have meaningful opportunities for engagement. This article describes how the Youth Development Initiative of San Mateo County, California, is addressing these needs as part of its Youth Commission project in a way that has already had a dramatic impact on how the county provides mental health services for youth. Keywords: youth development, community outreach, governance© 2005 Children, Youth and Environments Youth in Governance: Supports and Resources… 246 Introduction The Youth Development Initiative (YDI) in San Mateo County, California, began in 1993 with the creation of the San Mateo County Youth Commission. YDI has since expanded to include four different projects: a community outreach and awareness campaign, peer mentorship and a youth advisory board at a local high school, a student governance and youth-led after school project at a local middle school, and the Youth Commission, which places youth on county commissions and non-profit boards of directors. When it was created, the staff of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors coordinated the Youth Commission. YDI is now housed in a community-based nonprofit.1 Funding for the projects comes from a variety of sources including private foundations, community collaborations, and the county. In particular the San Mateo County Public Health Department provides funding for the Youth Commission. This is based on the idea that the Youth Commission not only positively impacts the individuals who serve as Youth Commissioners, but ultimately strengthens the policies and programs developed for youth and, therefore, can benefit the overall health and wellbeing of youth throughout the county. This report focuses on the Youth Commission and one project through which Youth Commissioners were able to influence county systems to ensure the needs of youth were understood and met. The San Mateo County Youth Commission The Youth Commission was the first project of the San Mateo County Youth Development Initiative. Created in 1993 by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, it was envisioned as a way for youth to give input into the decisionmaking processes of San Mateo County. This initiative, led by long-time youth advocate Supervisor Rich Gordon, was based on the premise that youth are the experts of their own experience and, therefore, valuable resources for the development and implementation of programs and policies impacting them. The Board of Supervisors agreed that tapping into youth as resources could mean more effective and sustainable youth programming and policies for San Mateo County. When it was created, the Youth Commission consisted of a body of approximately ten youth with whom existing county boards and commissions were to consult on issues or policies affecting youth. In reality, however, this was not how it functioned. Few, if any, boards or commissions took advantage of the opportunity to consult with the Youth Commission. Its function was not integrated into the work of the county systems. After a couple of years, Supervisor Gordon proposed that the Youth Commission be restructured and that Youth Commissioners be integrated into the existing boards and commissions addressing policy or programming pertaining to youth. Two seats were opened up to Youth Commissioners on 11 different boards and commissions, such as the Juvenile Justice Commission, the Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Mental Health Advisory Board, and...