AGENDA #5c

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
FROM:	Gregg Jarvies, Police Chief
SUBJECT:	Response to a Petition Requesting Establishment of a Youth Council
DATE:	December 4, 2006

PURPOSE

This report responds to a petition requesting that the Town Council consider starting a Youth Council that would be developed and sustained by the Town.

BACKGROUND

At the October 23, 2006 meeting, the Council received a petition from the Chapel Hill –Carrboro branch of the North Carolina National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) requesting the Town Council start a Youth Council. The NAACP proposes that the Youth Council be affiliated with the government of the Town of Chapel Hill.

Youth Councils within North Carolina are usually comprised of youth who become involved in community projects, pursue the development of leadership skills, participate in government functions and represent other youth in determining needs and services. Youth Councils throughout the state develop service projects that involve and benefit youth as well as the larger community.

North Carolina currently operates a State Youth Council (SYC) within the Department of Administration’s Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office. The SYC coordinates local youth councils, assists with newly organized councils and facilitates a competitive mini-grant program that awards funds to youth councils for community projects.

The SYC identifies 18 chartered youth councils in North Carolina. For information purposes, three youth councils were researched:

• The Durham Youth Council (DYC) is a program of the City of Durham’s Office on Youth. The DYC is under the jurisdiction of the Durham City Council and is staffed by a Youth Commission Coordinator. The DYC seeks to provide an opportunity for youth to have a formal role in local decision making and advising the Durham City Council on youth issues. The DYC consists of 30 members who are appointed by the Durham City Council. The DYC members develop a work plan for each fiscal year, submit recommendations to the Durham City Council, and prepare a report to the City Council at least annually.
• The Cary Teen Council, established in 1987, is a program of the Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources department. The Cary Teen Council is made up of middle and high school youth volunteers that conduct programs and civic activities for youth and the Cary community. The Council provides volunteers for community service projects, organizes fundraisers and participates in recreational activities. The Teen Council also provides a youth perspective to Cary town government.
• The Greensboro Youth Council (GYC) was founded in 1962 with the purpose of providing leadership and volunteer opportunities for high school students in Guilford County. The GYC is a program of the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department. The GYC has an extensive leadership training program and provides numerous volunteer options for youth to develop skills, provide community service and learn civic responsibilities.

The NAACP envisions a Youth Council for Chapel Hill that would consist of students in grades 8-12 who reside within the Chapel Hill city limits. The group would include a diverse membership that would reflect the population of Chapel Hill. The NAACP suggests the Chapel Hill Youth Council operate as a carefully structured group with specific responsibilities and oversight from the Town. The goals of the Youth Council would be the following:

• To provide an organization, administered by youth, which benefits youth and serves as a liaison between youth and adults in the community.
• To provide opportunities for youth to learn about local government including the roles and responsibilities of elected officials, boards and commissions and town staff.
•  To develop service projects that would benefit the community and provide valuable experience to the involved youth.

The Town currently provides a number of programs and supports other local public and private nonprofit agencies that serve the youth of the Chapel Hill community. A number of these programs currently provide leadership development, employment opportunities/training, and community service projects. A few examples of these programs include:

• Summer Youth Employment program – summer employment for youth in low income families which serves approximately 35 youth in jobs within Town government and local agencies
• Visions Group – leadership training for young men from low income neighborhoods which includes academic support and community service projects.
• Youth In Action – community youth group that organizes events for youth and the community.
• Street Scene Teen Center – a drop-in teen center that provides computer training each afternoon and recreational, educational and cultural programs on weekends.
• College internship program – a program that places students in internships within various Town departments.

Agencies supported by the Town that are providing similar services to youth include:

• Volunteers for Youth
• Dispute Settlement Center
• The Women’s Center
• Chapel Hill Training Outreach Family Resource Center
• Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA
• Empowerment, Inc.
• Youth Creating Change

Orange County operates a Youth Leadership Institute each summer for youth. The purpose of the Institute is to teach leadership skills, conflict resolution techniques and government processes. The Institute serves 15 youth selected through an application and interview process. The participants who successfully complete the program receive small stipends. The Leadership Institute was created to develop youth leaders in Orange County.

RECOMMENDATION

Examination of existing youth councils across the state indicates that a variety of models can be used successfully. Further meetings with the NAACP to discuss their proposal and vision for the youth council program would be beneficial. Following those discussions the staff would prepare a more in-depth report for the Council including a needs assessment, staffing requirements and budgetary considerations. It is anticipated that the staff would return to the Council with the report in February 2007.