Contact
Nadia Merritt,
City Liaison for Youth Council & Youth Ambassadors
Council Info
2014
Between six and eight (6-8) members.
14-18
$5,000
The Youth Council is funded through a cultural resources account in the general fund.
The council meets weekly in City Hall with adjustments for seasonal availability changes such as school breaks and holidays.
City Hall
Mission Statement
The purpose of the Youth Council @ Sugar Hill (“YCSH”) shall be to provide an opportunity for the youth of Sugar Hill to acquire a greater knowledge of, and appreciation for, the American political system through active participation in local government.
Selection Process
Members of the Sugar Hill Youth Council serve annual terms beginning at the start of the academic year. New members are selected through a competitive application and interview process involving returning Youth Council members as well as city staff. The Sugar Hill Youth Ambassadors, a service-oriented group that works directly with the Youth Council, often serves as a starting point for students interested in the Youth Council.
City department responsible for overseeing the council
Community and Economic Development
Does group act as an advisory committee for your City Council and/or County Commission
Yes, in accordance with their charter, the YCSH shall assist the Mayor and City Council in solving the problems and accomplishing the goals of Sugar Hill by facilitating open dialogue and discussion with representatives of the youth. The organization regularly attends City Council meetings and contributes to conversations with City Council.
Does group participate in overnight events?
Yes.
An adult chaperone of each sex attends all overnight events. Chaperones also transport students to overnight events. All such events require parental/guardian consent forms and forms are kept by the City Clerk.
Words of advice to share with cities considering the establishment of a youth council
The prevailing structures for Youth Councils in Georgia tend to either expose youth to City Hall and to engage them in city events, or to do a deeper dive into policy decision and exposing the youth to the analysis that goes into decision making for the policies. The type of exposure and depth is something you will need to decide and will impact the size of the group that you can handle. Make sure you advertise required participation or events during signup. Anything not advertised during signup should be considered optional. Make sure your staff or advisors will have time for planning. Make sure your youth council has flexibility to pull in current events that resonate with them, whether it be BLM, Parkland shootings, 18-year-old voter recruitment, or other issues of interest to your youth.
Event Description
Sugar Hill Youth Council annually works on an end of the year project. This year (2020-21), they worked on a podcast titled In the Council Room which they hope to continue. Returning Youth Council delight in attending Cities United (formerly GA Cities Week) every January and enjoy sharing past stories with new members. Youth Ambassadors appreciate City beautification activities such as Downtown Clean-Ups and Community Gardening projects alongside hosting the Kid’s Corner at the annual Holiday Celebration.