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Valdosta Youth Council

Contact

Ashley Johnson, Public Information Officer

www.facebook.com/valdostayouthcouncil/

Council Info
2015
The VYC is limited to 30 members.
The VYC is comprised of 7th, 8th, or 9th grade students attending a Valdosta City school or private school.
$4,000
The VYC is funded by the City of Valdosta.
Once a month. There is also a Leadership Training Meeting in January each year. The VYC members also commit to 8 hours of community service during the year so we also have meetings on the weekends.
City Council Chambers. We also meet off-site if we plan a trip to the Crime Lab, Police Department, Fire Department, Municipal Court, or Water Treatment Plant, or Traffic Maintenance Center.
Mission Statement

It is the mission of the VYC to build leadership skills and learn about civic responsibility, to gain a better understanding of municipal government, and to prepare youth for a lifetime of public and community service.

Code of Conduct

Our Code of Conduct is as follows:

  • Be prompt and present at all meetings and dress appropriately.
  • Be respectful in the treatment of and the interaction with other people.
  • Be mindful of safety issues to ensure that everyone stays safe from harm and injury.
  • Be courteous and do not talk on the cell phone during meetings (silence cell phone please).
  • Be aware of inappropriate behavior and always conduct yourself in a respectable manner.

Selection Process

The VYC has an Advisory Board that is appointed by the Mayor and consists of the Mayor, a Valdosta City Council Member, a Staff Member from each representing School, and three City Staff Members. The VYC Advisory Board submits the application to the Principals and Counselors at the various schools to distribute to the students they feel meet the requirements and would like to participate. The students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and must have a letter of recommendation from an adult who has known them and can provide a testimony of their leadership potential and ability to manage the demands of both school and the Youth Council. Applications must be returned to the VYC Advisory Board before the deadline. The Advisory Board then reviews the applications along with the VYC Officers and students are selected based on academics, involvement in school and community, and leadership qualities.

City department responsible for overseeing the council

The City Manager/Mayor’s Office is responsible for overseeing the VYC. City Staff members who work with the VYC are the City Clerk, the Public Information Officer, and the Media Coordinator.

Does group act as an advisory committee for your City Council and/or County Commission

They do share their vision and goals with the City Council and if they have an idea about something that might need some tweaking they will share it with the Council.

Words of advice to share with cities considering the establishment of a youth council

You must have a committed Advisory Board and Staff members to help plan and organize meetings and activities.

Event Description

In April, 2017 the VYC culminated their anti-bullying campaign by partnering with John Maxwell Certified Speaker Lynne Brown to host the Valdosta Youth Explosion event in which nearly 80 youth representing six local city and county schools were united in their stand against bullying. The students viewed a film by Nick Vujicic, who was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1982 without any arms or legs. Nick shared his testimony about how he was bullied by other kids and how he struggled with depression and loneliness. Nick constantly wondered why he was different than all the other kids. He questioned the purpose of life, or if he even had a purpose. He talked about how he overcame his struggles, as well as his strength and passion for life today, which can be credited to his faith in God. The students then signed an Anti-Bullying Proclamation which hangs on the wall here at City Hall.