F ACCOMPLISHING THE WORK
Here are ideas for strategies and structures that might be helpful to accomplish the work .
1 . ESTABLISHING WORK AGREEMENTS
Establishing work agreements and norms allows for accountability , continuity , and clear expectations . As a group , use the first meeting each year to establish these agreements and revisit them often .
Suggested work norms .
• Build and maintain a safe environment where all voices are heard .
• Step Up and Step Back : If you feel like you have something to say and have been quiet , Step Up . If you feel like you have done the majority of talking , Step Back so others have the space to talk .
• Welcome all ideas and opinions — consider all angles , talk through opinions , and entertain suggestions .
• As a team , define council ' s commitment and create expectations for attendance .
• Complete assigned work dutifully and on time . If you say you ’ re going to do the work , do it . And if something comes up , reach out for help ; don ’ t leave the team hanging .
• Only commit to a task when you have capacity .
• Be aware of what you contribute as a team member . If you have a lot going on one month , it ’ s okay to take on less , but know you ’ ll need to step up once you have more time .
• Be proactive in your communication about absences , scheduling conflicts , etc .
• Agree upon a group communication platform and emphasize the expectation that the team will consistently use the platform and respond in a timely manner .
• Consider making a visual aid of the work norms .
Strategies for adult facilitators .
• Build and maintain a safe environment where all voices are heard . Ensure that all youth are participating and acknowledge all ideas and suggestions by validating them and then providing an explanation / justification if an idea is not selected .
• Having youth be accountable to each other is key ! Build this by reporting what each youth completed to move toward a goal , and offer specific action steps for keeping the team on track to achieve that goal .
• The team should be an equal partnership between youth and adults . The adults are not “ in charge ” and should also have roles and assigned tasks .
• Adult facilitators should highlight and spotlight when youth members are modeling the norms well . Work this into a conversation so that it feels natural .
• Stay observant to what is going on in your school and community and ask students to reflect often .
Not every idea / project needs to be developed and implemented in one school year .
Consider drawing out your cycle over 1 to 2 years : gathering data and developing an idea during one year and implementing it the next . For example , after developing a schoolwide campaign during a school year , sending a classroom resource to schools / teachers in May might not be optimal .
Consider policy-type work . Youth councils can have an impact on state- and locallevel policies . Advocacy , informing policy , reviewing , updating , and strengthening current policies , or creating new policies can have a widespread and lasting impact .
See project ideas from Jeffco SHAC .
16 CREATING YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCILS