NYC Youth Council participants develop their leadership skills and gain a deeper understanding of policy to help city officials address the most pressing issues affecting young people. Through their partnership with NYCYC, City Council members will broaden its reach and connection to youth constituencies in their districts and committees.

THE NETWORK

NYCYC connects youth participants to an accomplished community of Coro alumni from all industries and sectors, who are dedicated to supporting one another and to improving the City in which we live and work.

THE KNOWLEDGE

NYCYC participants learn about current youth policy challenges, develop leadership skills in order to affect change in the city and use those new skills and knowledge to advise Council Members.

THE SKILLS

Coro's leadership training curriculum offers youth council members the tools to develop their leadership skills, personal development, group skills and policy understanding to help city officials address the most pressing issues affecting young people.

The NYCYC will mirror the New York City Council by recruiting, competitively selecting, and training 51 Youth Council Members (current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors) to represent the 51 districts throughout all five boroughs. Applicants should demonstrate:

• A commitment to civic engagement and active participation in school and/or community leadership activities
• A willingness to engage others in the community in their work through focus groups, surveys, and/or public hearings
• Basic leadership skills including effective written and verbal communications, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and creativity.

The New York City Youth Council (NYCYC) is a partnership between the New York City Council and Coro New York Leadership Center  to enhance youth-adult partnerships throughout the city and elevate youth voice in decision making related to policy and practice.  The 10-month program builds participants' capacity for individual and collaborative leadership. Through experiential activities, participants learn and develop self-awareness, teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills.  Youth Council Members also learn about the structure and function of NYC government, specifically City Council and how policies are made and implemented. NYC Council Members broaden their reach to youth constituencies by utilizing this unique youth partner relationship opportunity to strengthen the impact of their work within their respect district and committee work over the course of the program year.

Leadership Development

Over the course of the program, participants receive intensive leadership training and experiential workshops to help them achieve their professional and personal goals.

Policy Research

Participants research and explore pressing issues facing the City and the impact on young people. This research includes interviewing city representatives, surveying their peers and exploring their own experiences as young people in the city.

Policy Recommendation

Participants prepare a presentation to City Council, and other city representatives, to share their recommendations to address the policy issues researched throughout the program year.

The NYC Youth Council begins with a 3 week intensive summer training institute focused on building relationships among the NYC Youth Council Members, further developing their leadership skills, and educating the Youth
Council Members about key issues impacting the city that are currently addressed through City Council committees. The summer institute will also expand the Youth Council Members' network by introducing them to New York City Council Members across districts, their staff, as well as influential community leaders and alumni of Coro programming.

In the fall, Youth Council Members will focus their after school meetings on exploring the work of various New York City Council committees and also gather feedback about the issues that most impact youth in their respective communities through surveys, focus groups, and technology tools.During the spring, Youth Council Members plan and implement tangible projects developed in partnership with select City Council Committees. The New York City Youth Council may also be deployed to promote youth participation in the Participatory Budgeting process for those districts using that process. After school meeting commence twice a month on Mondays and Wednesdays and one Saturday per month.
Each Youth Council Member will serve a one-year term on the Youth Council with the select opportunity to return as a program intern the following year.