Loaded with inspiration and practicality, this custom-designed training can help the young people in your community acquire and refine the skills they need to work effectively on Youth Advisory Councils or as partners with adults on specific projects.

It's one thing to set up youth on community Boards and Councils. It's another thing to set them up for success.

All too often, young people are asked to fill leadership roles in important community institutions like the City Council or the School Board, but are afforded little training or support. The result? While it depends on dozens of variables, many young people:

• Participate more as observers than as partners
• Struggle, grow tired, and leave their positions after a short period of time, without having a significant impact
• Inadvertently reinforce the negative perceptions adults have of them: they're unreliable and aren't able to contribute or lead in "real" ways

The lack of training and support also means that success in these roles often requires prior experience, which limits the number (and diversity) of youth whose voices can be heard. So the skilled get more skilled, and the others never get the chance.

Community Matters can help you set up the youth of your community for success in leadership roles and youth-adult partnerships!

This training is designed for a diverse group of youth who may want to serve, or are currently serving, in three ways:

• As youth members of primarily adult governing bodies, including city councils, school boards, neighborhood councils, or the boards of community service organizations like the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, churches & temples, etc.
• As members of fully-youth groups, including youth boards that might advise the above groups, student councils & other school leadership posts
• As partners with adults on specific projects, like organizing a community celebration or clean-up, revitalizing a park or neighborhood, or solving a specific problem like drug abuse, graffiti, or gang activity

This highly engaging training helps youth develop and increase their leadership and participation skills. It provides young people with essential knowledge and practical experience in vital skill areas like:

• Communication, including active listening, feedback and coaching
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Conflict resolution, negotiation, consensus building
• Facilitation
• Designing and leading effective meetings
• Organization
• Planning
• Public speaking
• Working with adults

To assure that it's on target, well received, and delivers the desired results, each training is customized to identify and meet the specific needs of the young people who participate in it.