TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, Interim City Manager
TITLE: Discussion regarding creating a Youth Advisory Board and developing an Intern Program in partnership with North Port High School.
Recommended Action
Direct staff to bring back an ordinance for approval and Allow for Commissioner Carusone to continue with developing the Intern program in partnership with NPHS.
Background Information
(Youth Board)
Using a compilation of Ordinances within your backup and the experience as the past Commission liaison, I have developed a draft ordinance for discussion.
I have researched youth boards all over the country. The common denominator for the most successful boards are as follows:
* All met regularly in a location that was frequented by Teens.
* All were involved in community service.
* Boards were a minimum of 7 members and as large as 15.
* Had diverse student representation.
* Worked on projects along with recommending ideas to government.
* All had a scholarship program on place.
* Were called either councils or commissions.
* A minimum of 2 adult liaisons.
* Ages ranged from 13-25.
* All were enacted by ordinance.
* All implemented some form of data collection.
* The majority had an independent youth board website linked to the city and promoted youth only initiatives.
* Many started with an initiated to build a teen center and transformed into determining programming and improvements for the centers duration.
Note that several past board members have submitted letters detailing pros and cons of their time on the board and over 90% if not all have become successful members of our community.
Keep in mind that most cities experienced difficulties when the shift in a commission occurs. For example one city had Boys and Girls club actively involved from the beginning. When the commission liaison was term limited out the board no longer wished to continue with the board. The B&G club took over the...
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