The purpose of the Charlottesville Youth Council is to “advise City Council, inform the community about issues that affect the youth, and make recommendations for how Charlottesville can be a better city.”
The latest cohort begins their work on Monday with a meeting in City Space at 5:30 p.m. (meeting info)
After introductions and an icebreaker, there will be a review of City Council’s strategic priorities. The five members adopted a framework for the plan at their meeting on September 5, 2023, as I wrote about at the time. This framework is how City Manager Sam Sanders developed his work plan. Here’s his latest report.
One item on the agenda is an “Intro to YPAR process” but that acronym is not defined. A purpose of journalism is to explain when jargon is used.
YPAR stands for Youth Participatory Action Research.
“YPAR is an innovative approach to positive youth and community/organization development that recognizes the important role youth can and should play in the research process,” reads a YPAR website for the University of Virginia’s School of Education and Human Development. “By moving away from longstanding adult-centered research traditions, YPAR creates the space and facilitates the ability of youth to examine and address social issues within their own community or organization.”
The last Youth Council presented their report to City Council on May 20 of this year. Take a look at that video here.
Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment is from the September 30, 2024 Week Ahead edition of the newsletter.
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Just like the good citizens of Charlottesville to care about the quality of life for its young people.