Youth Advisory Councils / Youth Speakers Bureaus

Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) are a group of young people, most often ranging in age from 12-25, working in conjunction with an existing organization to assure that youth are involved in achieving the overall mission of the organization. Youth Speakers Bureaus (YSBs) promote youth voice and provide youth with an opportunity to speak publicly about the positive effects service-learning can have on youth, institutions, and communities. Following are some of our most relevant resources for this topic.

NSLC-Produced Resources

• Youth Voice in Service-Learning
• Youth Voice: Selected Resources
• YouthSITE: Sharing Ideas and Tools for Engagement

Sample Youth Advisory Councils / Youth Speakers Bureaus

• Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council
  
• Minnesota Alliance with Youth: Youth Advisory Council
• Youth Venture's National Youth Advisory Council
• State Farm Youth Advisory Board
• NYLC Youth Advisory Council

Sample Youth Speakers Bureau Material

• Ambassador Application (Youth Service California's Project Catalyst)
  
• Consent and Liability Waiver (Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council)
• Frequently Asked Questions Document (Youth Service California's Project Catalyst)
• Member Selection Form (Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council)
• Orientation - Confidential Medical History (Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council)
• Outreach Presentation Report (Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council)
• Promotional Brochure (Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council)
• Promotional Brochure (Youth Service California's Project Catalyst)
• Service Project Report (Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council)
• Youth Council Summary (Michigan Service-Learning Youth Council)

NSLC Library Items (How to Borrow)

• Building Effective Youth Councils: A Practical Guide to Engaging Youth in Policy Making (2007) (PDF)
• State Children’s Cabinets and Councils: Getting Results for Children and Youth (2007) (PDF)
• Washington Youth Voice Handbook: The What, Who, Why, Where, When, and How Youth Voice Happens (2007) (PDF)
• Kids As Planners: A Guide To Strengthening Students, Schools, And Communities Through Service-Learning, 2nd Ed. (2005)
• Our Time is Now: Young People Changing the World (2005)
• Youth Voice: A Guide for Engaging Youth in Leadership and Decision-Making in Service-Learning Programs (2001) (PDF)
  

Related Websites

• Community Matters
• Kids as Self Advocates
• "Just What is a YAC (Youth Advisory Committee)" Lesson Plan
• Healthy and Ready to Work: YAC Resources

Related Topics

• Youth Voice