c.2005 Columbus Youth Commission, all rights reserved. Visit the Columbus Youth Commission website to see one commission in action now! Thanks for your interest!
OUR FUTURE IS OURS!
On Mondays, wear
a green ribbon to
show your support
of the youth voice
being heard!

What can you do?

1) Contact your city, township or community on the Internet, and ask them if they've ever considered creating a youth commission or youth council.

2) Print out some of the materials below. With your friends or family, spread the word! Go to your local city hall or any governing body, and give out the information there! You could also call your local legislators, and let them know about the idea. Even if you are a child, let them know! Show them you have a voice, and you want to use it! Click below for some posters and flyers.





3) Meet with your school student council or other student government organizations. Give them information, and let them know you'd like to try a youth commission in your area!
OUR FUTURE IS OURS!
On Mondays, wear
a green ribbon to
show your support
of the youth voice
being heard!

What can you do?

1) Contact your city, township or community on the Internet, and ask them if they've ever considered creating a youth commission or youth council.

2) Print out some of the materials below. With your friends or family, spread the word! Go to your local city hall or any governing body, and give out the information there! You could also call your local legislators, and let them know about the idea. Even if you are a child, let them know! Show them you have a voice, and you want to use it! Click below for some posters and flyers.





3) Meet with your school student council or other student government organizations. Give them information, and let them know you'd like to try a youth commission in your area!
the American Youth Commission Movement
"for the creation and furtherance of youth commissions throughout america"
Young people, making up a large percentage of our nation's population, do not generally have a say in their community. Their problems may not be viewed as pressing by elected officials or most adults, simply because they do not display the urgency of, for example, national security or international trade. And it seems that as these children grow into young adults, they can only complain about the problems they see. Why? Because without the ability to vote, run for office, or even speak out, they have no other option to be heard.  Perhaps they feel there's "not enough to do" on weekends. Maybe they're upset seeing the amount of crime in their schools. Or possibly they want to take a stand for a cleaner environment...

          Youth are going to someday be the citizens who vote, participate, and become the leaders of tomorrow. The creation of youth commissions has begun to solve the problem of youth not being heard. Often fostered by cities or small communities, youth commissions allow a group of concerned young leaders to come together and discuss the problems they see, and propose real solutions to government or community leaders. They can organize to receive massive feedback from their peers, sometimes in the form of town hall meetings, or youth summits. When problems are identified and discussed, they are submitted to the adult officials. In turn, these officials or the commission itself can propose solutions.

          Sound impractical? Actually, American cities from coast to coast have already taken the lead in creating such commissions, and the movement is spreading to more communities year after year. From Boston to San Francisco, youth commissions are already making a significant impact on the peers they represent. They are beginning to use their influence to spread the movement to surrounding communities. The Columbus (Ohio) Youth Commission, for example, has been established for several years, and has begun to aid the north-central Ohio city of Mansfield to create their own Youth Action Council.

          The time is now to leap forward with the American Youth Commission Movement. It is time for every city, township, and community in this nation to recognize the value of their young people to use their unique experiences, talent and creativity for the betterment of America. As a large portion of Americans are in their teens or younger, they deserve a voice in governing their own lives. The proof exists in the dozens of communities that already use this revolutionary idea. It makes sense that the future leaders in America get a jump-start to begin learning the workings of government, and experience new situations as they interact with peers from across their region. Being on a youth commission can change a young person's life forever, giving them inspiration and real-world experiences that no textbook can teach. The best way for youth to learn is by doing something they themselves have motivation to do, and seeing immediate results all around them.

          As the Columbus Youth Commission advises, now is not the time to wait. "It's our city, our time." Let's let our young people shine, and establish a youth commission in every region of America today!
c.2005 Columbus Youth Commission, all rights reserved. Visit the Columbus Youth Commission website to see one commission in action now! Thanks for your interest!