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City-Led Prevention of Hate, Extremism and Polarisation:  Leveraging Local Youth Councils  

Last updated:

27/11/2024

Publication Date:

26/11/2024

Content Type:

Policy Briefs

Introduction 

The Strong Cities Network works with cities and other local governments in a variety of contexts in support of their efforts to prevent and respond to rising levels of hate, polarisation and intolerance and, more broadly, to promote resilient, peaceful and cohesive communities. In these engagements, elected local leaders and local governments, irrespective of the context, consistently point to the importance of engaging young people as part of a comprehensive approach to prevention.

This is driven in part by the recognition that 1) youth are often the most susceptible to hate and extremist propaganda and the disinformation and conspiracy narratives that increasingly fuel it; 2) feelings of exclusion and marginalisation and other local grievances can make them more susceptible; and 3) young people are critical partners in identifying and addressing these challenges before they lead to violence or otherwise harm local communities. Therefore, it is critical that cities and local leaders can work collaboratively with young people in identifying and addressing these grievances and finding ways to not only safeguard their young populations but to leverage the significant positive contributions that young people can make to a whole-of-city approach to preventing hate, extremism and polarisation in local communities. To accomplish this, local leaders and other city officials have come to Strong Cities seeking ways to provide the kinds of services, activities and programmes that not only address local grievances and unmet needs but encourage youth to be active citizens who play an integral part in shaping the city’s present and future.

During their engagements with Strong Cities, officials from 250+ member cities have shared several different policies, programmes and practices that support effective youth engagement in large urban centres, rural municipalities and everything in between. Many of these have been captured in other resources on the Strong Cities Resource Hub.  However, one practice in particular that a growing number of cities have expressed interest in to strengthen their prevention efforts. It focuses on improving youth representation and engagement in both local governance and community life: local youth councils.

Although they come in different shapes and sizes and go by different names, generally speaking, youth councils are advisory bodies established by local governments to involve young people in decision-making processes. These fora give young people a platform to voice their opinions, contribute to policy development and address issues affecting their communities. This paper will use the term “youth council” to refer to the vast array of youth assemblages that meet these basic criteria but may go by another name locally.

When organised and implemented well, youth councils can significantly improve a city’s engagement with young people in three core ways that can positively impact its hate prevention efforts:

1. Build trust and addressing feelings of exclusion, including with groups who have historically felt overlooked or marginalised or been ‘hard to reach’ or disengaged.
2. Improve youth-oriented policy and programming to better serve young people’s needs throughout the city.
3. Upskill a city’s young residents, enabling them to become active citizens, ultimately improving civic engagement in the present and investing in a more civically productive population in the future.

In response to increasing requests for guidance from local government officials on how to develop and operationalise a new or strengthen an existing youth council, Strong Cities developed this policy brief. It outlines seven recommendations informed by the experience of its members and grounded in respect for human rights as part of a wider effort to enhance social cohesion and prevent hate.

1. Conduct an inclusive assessment to understand the challenges and needs of young people throughout the city.
2. Clarify and codify the youth council’s purpose and structure.
3. Ensure genuine youth participation
4. Make the council inclusive and representative
5. Encourage and enable youth-led community engagement
6. Upskill council members
7. Evaluate, learn and adjust

Given that the local contexts and manifestations of the threat vary depending on the city, the recommendations and specific examples highlighted in this policy brief may not apply to all contexts. However, they do represent approaches and practices that can inspire and guide, as appropriate, all cities.  

The views expressed, and examples cited in this policy brief do not necessarily reflect those of Strong Cities members, partner organisations or sponsors of the Network’s mission.

Considerations for Establishing and Maintaining Local Youth Councils in Support of the Prevention of Hate, Extremism & Polarisation

1. Conduct inclusive assessments to understand the challenges and needs of young people throughout the city

An effective youth council is representative of a city’s youth population and adequately empowered to address their specific needs. To ensure the body’s purpose reflects community priorities and resonates with both young people and adult decision-makers, a city should undertake a mapping exercise, employing an inclusive approach that incorporates feedback from local stakeholders, including local officials, as well as youth and community organisations from all parts of the city.

In 2014, the city of Tétouan in Morocco began the process of establishing a Youth Council. In a meeting with Strong Cities Middle East and North Africa Regional Hub, the deputy mayor explained that the City conducted a multi-stakeholder consultation to guide the process that involved local authorities, including the local Ministries of National Education and Youth and Sports, university representatives, relevant civic and youth bodies, psychologists and social workers. To help ensure inclusive participation of diverse youth in the process, the city shared announcements online, on the radio and through public institutions, including “youth houses”, “culture houses” and schools at varying levels. Rather than a one-off consult, the city invited all clubs, associations and bodies that worked with young people to nominate representatives to participate in the process.

An inclusive assessment will help a city identify and understand the following:

• The make-up of the city’s youth population. A city may already have accurate census information that includes this data, but if not, it should seek to understand in real terms who its youth council will need to serve. This is a critical step to ensure the council is representative.
• The city’s youth-oriented activities, policies, services and programmes. This should involve a survey of both government and community-led initiatives and aim to 1) uncover young people’s awareness, perception and engagement with each; 2)  identify gaps, overlaps and areas where coordination between sectors could enhance delivery and minimise waste; and 3) establish which approaches are most popular and have the biggest impact.
• Youth success. Success is subjective, so the city should first establish a core set of relevant, like enrolment and graduation rates and employment status, that reflect the kinds of opportunities available in the city and allow an assessor to see where young people are excelling and who, if anyone, is getting left behind.
• Youth civic engagement. This will include things like voter turn-out, engagement in community programmes and activities (both government-led and not) and volunteering. After first identifying the kinds of opportunities available in the city, the assessment should look at who is getting involved and how.
• Young people’s experiences living in the city. This should help assessors understand young people’s perceptions, needs, assets and grievances, as well as their awareness of local government (and how it works) and engagement with services. This should also help reveal trust levels between young people and institutions across the city, including the local government.

This mapping is useful not only when a city is initiating a youth council but also as a periodic exercise to ensure the body’s make-up and activities continue to be relevant. Wherever possible, information should come directly from young people, as well as those who work with youth and lead youth-oriented activities in the city. The youth council itself can play a leading role in this. For example,  local youth councils across the United Arab Emirates act as “outreach mobilisation” teams tasked with raising awareness and encouraging their peers to take part in surveys that help inform local youth initiatives.

Data should also be cross-referenced with demographic data to understand if there are parts of the youth population who are more engaged and who are being left behind. Following this good practice, a youth council should include systematised processes for collecting information continuously, providing a range of options for young people in the city to submit input to help ensure diversity.

Good Practice: Toronto, Canada

Recognising that youth have often been missed in its planning and strategy development processes in the past, the City of Toronto set up a Youth Research Team (YRT) of ten young people aged 18-29. It was tasked to connect with other youth to understand the issues they feel need to be prioritised by the local government over the coming years. This effort resulted in the development of a Youth Engagement Strategy, which was “made for youth by youth” and provides a list of issue areas that young people consider as priorities. It also provided critical input for Toronto’s Youth Cabinet, which is discussed in more detail below.

A needs assessment is a technical task that requires specific knowledge and experience. If a city does not have the necessary skills within its staff, it should consider working with a professional researcher, research body or local university to design and carry out this assessment. However, if a city does not have the means to hire dedicated professionals, there are tools and guidance available that teach policymakers about the needs assessment process and how to conduct one. The USAID Guide to Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessment was developed specifically for implementing youth assessments in developing countries. To get the youth council actively involved in this data collection, local governments should consider including research and mapping as part of dedicated training for council members (see below for more on training and capacity building).

2. Clarify and codify the youth council’s purpose and structure

To avoid confusion and ensure a consistent focus, youth councils should have a clearly defined framework aligned with their mission By clarifying and codifying the purpose of a local youth council and establishing clear structures from the beginning, a local government can help ensure its effectiveness and long-term success.

A clear purpose provides direction for the council’s activities, aligns members around common goals and establishes a framework for decision-making, both within the youth council and between the council and other government bodies. Codifying this purpose helps to formalise the council’s role within local government, ensuring that its contributions are taken seriously and that its operations remain consistent, even as leadership or membership changes. This also prevents the council from drifting into symbolic participation, ensuring that young people have meaningful input in policies and initiatives that affect them. Take care to ensure that the youth council’s purpose aligns with broader city priorities and objectives; this will help integrate the council into city governance and influence real change.

Drawing from the diverse input gathered in its inclusive assessment of youth needs, a local government should work with council members to draft a clear, concise mission statement that outlines the youth council’s primary goals – such as influencing local policy, fostering civic engagement or promoting youth empowerment – and develop a formal charter that codifies the council’s purpose, structure, and functions. This should include roles, responsibilities, decision-making processes and rules for membership. By documenting these things formally and publicly, the city can help ensure consistency and transparency in how the council operates and evolves.

For example, Takoma Park (Maryland), USA articulates all this information clearly in their Youth Council Charter, which is available on the City’s website, along with minutes from the youth council meetings. In the United Kingdom, the Bristol City Youth Council published their three-year manifesto, outlining the council’s priorities, activities, structure and partnerships. 

Good Practice: Bavaria, Germany

In Germany, the Bavarian Youth Council (BJR) is a public body recognised by the Bavarian government as a provider of youth services, performing many of the state’s youth-related public functions. The BJR was initially founded in 1947, and some of its longevity can be credited to its firm legal basis, codified by the 8th Volume of the German Social Code and the Implementation Act of Bavaria, and consistent funding through the State of Bavaria’s public funds for children and youth programmes. The BJR’s formation, function activities and governing principles are captured in its Charter, which is publicly available online, providing consistent structure and transparency.

3. Ensure genuine youth participation and engagement

Tokenism is a common pitfall of youth engagement, wherein an approach or programme is adopted merely to give the appearance that young people are included and prioritised. Tokenistic youth engagement not only lacks impact, but it can be counterproductive, eroding faith in the city’s commitment to and concern for young people. A city should commit itself to a youth council that will enable genuine youth participation in pursuit of sustained impact rather than quick symbolic victories. To help cities assess whether they are ready to make that commitment, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) included a checklist in its Global Youth Council Guide.    

Genuine youth participation empowers young people to have a real influence on decisions that affect their lives and communities. This helps foster a sense of ownership, responsibility and civic engagement and leads to more inclusive and effective decision-making, as youth bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that can improve local governance and community outcomes. It also signals that the city is genuinely committed to elevating youth voices and imbues trust in a city’s young people, which is an important prerequisite for bridging trust deficits and establishing a productive relationship that will support active citizenship throughout a person’s life. 

The city of Stamford (Connecticut), USA, engages young people in a targeted way through three school-based chapters of its Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council (MYLC). The MYLC is organised as a “youth activism organisation” focused on mobilising young people to promote safer schools and communities. The MYLC takes a three-pronged approach in its mission-driven format: public awareness activities, volunteer programs and social change campaigns, all of which actively mobilise students to make a change in their schools and beyond.

A city can avoid tokenism by giving youth meaningful roles and decision-making authority within councils and offering youth council members the chance to set meeting agendas, propose initiatives and weigh in on policy decisions. A youth council will also be more meaningful if its duties go beyond just ‘youth’ issues and are instead engaged in a wide range of issues that affect the city. The Toronto (Ontario) Canada Youth Cabinet, for example, is organised into ten working groups that cover different aspects of city life, including arts and culture, employment, community safety, transit and more. This helps ensure that young people have a voice in a wide range of topics while still working in a targeted and impactful way.

Finally, the local government should provide feedback on how the council’s input is being used so participants can understand their impact or, in cases where their input was not actioned, why. It can also help to recognise the youth council’s contributions publicly, highlighting their efforts and achievements in the community.

4. Make the council inclusive and representative

A youth council will have the greatest impact when it represents and serves the needs of all young people in the city, particularly those from historically underserved or marginalised communities. When the council reflects the various backgrounds, cultures and perspectives of a city’s youth population, it will be better placed to address the unique needs and challenges different groups face. Inclusivity prevents voices from being marginalised and fosters more equitable decision-making, while representation strengthens a council’s legitimacy and demonstrates the city’s commitment to all youth, ensuring that the policies and initiatives it influences truly benefit all segments of the community.

The make-up of a youth council is also important for the opportunities it confers to the individuals involved. If the participation opportunities are genuine, youth council members gain invaluable skills, experience, perspectives and connections that can open new avenues for them in the future. In this way, youth councils can either help reduce social inequality or reinforce it, depending on who has the chance to participate. For example, a study of youth councils in the United Kingdom found that many tend to overlook disadvantaged or socially excluded groups in favour of high-performing youth, ultimately reproducing and reinforcing existing inequalities and misrepresenting the experiences of the broader population of young people. While in New Zealand, a study found that youth participation activities tended to target either “troublemakers” or “achievers”, leaving out the majority of young people in the middle. 

Recruiting diverse youth for a local youth council requires intentional strategies to reach and engage young people from various backgrounds and experiences, including those who are historically ‘hard to reach’ or hesitant to participate. Cities will need to identify gaps in representation and consider ways to overcome them. Recruiting diverse youth for a local youth council requires intentional strategies to reach and engage young people from various backgrounds and experiences, including those who are historically ‘hard to reach’ or hesitant to participate. Cities will need to identify gaps in representation and consider ways to overcome them. For example, Tempe (Arizona), USA, helps maintain balanced representation on its Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission by mandating at least one (and no more than three) representatives be included from each of the city’s public schools. Since public schools are organised by district depending on geography, ensuring each school has representation helps ensure the council covers the full extent of the city.

Additional strategies to enhance a youth council’s representation and inclusivity include:

Utilising platforms that are popular with young people for recruitment and to raise awareness about the youth council’s activities and achievements. While a city’s website is a good place to host information and registration processes, young people are unlikely to find it unless the opportunity is advertised in places that they already frequent, both online and offline. Social media platforms are a good place to reach young people and can host eye-catching and engaging multi-media content that showcases the impact of the youth council and the benefits of participating, both for them individually and for their community.

Radio is also an important tool in many places. For example, Cape Town, South Africa and Tetouan, Morocco, both made good use of radio advertisements on local channels popular with young people to share information about their youth councils and expand their recruitment.

A youth council can also disseminate posters and flyers in places that young people frequent, prioritising neighbourhoods and venues popular among ‘hard to reach’ demographics. Tepebasi, Turkey, took steps to literally take the youth council to the people when a group of young people went door-to-door to deliver invitations to youth to attend the municipal youth council’s kick-off meeting, in addition to targeted outreach to local organisations and schools.

Working with credible partners. Community partners can help a city develop and action a recruitment strategy to reach historically disengaged young people. Partners can extend a city’s reach and deepen their engagement, overcoming trust deficits and helping tailor the proposition to connect with the unique needs and concerns of different groups. They can also leverage existing relationships to encourage young people to follow through with participating and help support them throughout to get the most out of the opportunity.

In Los Angeles (California), USA, the City’s Youth Council partnered with the local professional football club to launch a sustainability programme focused on educating youth and promoting recycling. Members of the youth council presented project ideas, one of which was selected and funded by the football program. A city official told Strong Cities that the partnership also helped raise awareness about the council and bolstered their recruitment for the following year. Working with professional sports teams, musicians, artists or other local cultural influencers is a good avenue for reaching young people who are not necessarily interested in civic- or politically-oriented activities and would not normally seek out opportunities like a youth council. Not only does it increase their awareness of the council, but it also demonstrates the council’s efforts in action and connects it with things in which young people already have a strong interest.

Going beyond schools. Schools are a valuable partner, and cities should work closely with a range of educational institutions, including public, private and alternative schools/ universities, as well as trade schools. However, working exclusively with formal education institutions can favour students who are more academically inclined. In addition to engaging schools about the opportunities that joining a local youth council offers, local government can reach out to community centres and other institutions that work with young people outside of a formal educational setting. Reaching students from different educational backgrounds ensures representation from various academic and social environments.

When Tetouan, Morocco, organised youth consultations to inform the formation of the city’s youth council, it worked with schools and universities and included representatives from different educational institutions. However, to keep the process inclusive, the local government also went to public institutions, including “youth houses” and “culture houses” and invited all clubs, associations and bodies across the city that worked with young people to nominate representatives.

Meeting people where they are and keeping participation accessible. Rather than only organising recruitment events in government buildings, hold information sessions in diverse neighbourhoods, especially in areas where young people are less likely to engage with local government. Cities should choose locations that are easily accessible, such as community centres, libraries or youth clubs. And where access is a barrier to participation, cities should consider ways to support young people in overcoming it. For example, Southhampton (New York), USA, offers free transportation to members of its Youth Advisory Committee, which is comprised of middle- and high-school students. For the Millennial Advisory Committee in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), USA, the cost of a transportation subsidy was unsustainable, so instead, the committee rotates meetings between locations in different neighbourhoods to equalise access. 

Offering incentives and compensating young people for their contributions. Local governments should remember that many young people cannot afford to volunteer much of their time, as they are often juggling work and school schedules and living on a tight budget. Therefore, young people may need to be incentivised to participate in youth council. The government should consider the kinds of incentives they offer to youth council members. Common ones are those that boost a participant’s curriculum vitae or career prospects and include things like community service hours, leadership training or certificates, as well as the mentoring opportunities that enable young people to build professional networks. While these are critical, they do not necessarily address the challenge that economically vulnerable young people face when choosing to spend time volunteering rather than doing paid work. Therefore, another important and often overlooked incentive is financial. In addition to lowering a critical barrier to participation, providing financial compensation shows the value that the city places on young people’s time and expertise.

In Los Angeles (California), USA, for example, members of the City’s Youth Council receive a monthly stipend that both compensates members for their time and ensures young people have the means to participate fully. In addition to lowering a key barrier to full participation, a City official told Strong Cities that treating council membership as a paid internship rather than a volunteer role has led the young participants to take the commitment more seriously. 

Simplifying the application process. Cities should make the application clear, easy to understand and available in all relevant languages. They should also assist with applications where needed and offer flexible participation criteria that do not overly emphasise academic achievement and instead elevate diverse kinds of experience and achievement. In Cape Town, South Africa, for example, young people can apply for the Junior Council online, but those who do not have access to a computer or need help with the application can go to their local library to fill in a paper version, which the library will then scan and submit on their behalf.

5. Encourage and enable youth-led community engagement

Local youth councils should seek to foster stronger connections with the communities they represent by serving them directly. Firstly, this will allow the city to draw on the unique advantages that young people can provide in peer-to-peer youth engagement. Youth-led community activities can bridge critical gaps in trust and access that often limit city-led youth programming. This includes the maintenance of the youth council itself, as heightened visibility among the city’s diverse youth populations can help spark interest in the council among under-represented groups and support future recruitment. Secondly, active outreach and involvement allows council members to gather diverse perspectives, better understand community needs and ensure their decisions are informed by real experiences. In addition to enhancing the council’s effectiveness, the process provides valuable experience for council members in representative governing. Thirdly, community engagement fosters a sense of responsibility and accountability among council members, empowering them to create meaningful change that reflects the interests of their peers. This improves their effectiveness in the short term and strengthens the bond between young people and their communities, promoting civic awareness and involvement in local governance in the long term. And finally, direct community engagement increases the legitimacy of the council itself.

Community campaigning is a requirement for members of theRedbridge Youth Council in London, UK. The council provides members with funding and support to establish and run community campaigns to address critical issues, including mental health, gangs and knife violence. In Larkana, Pakistan, the Youth Development Committee is similarly tasked with proposing and implementing initiatives that address youth issues, including the challenges arising from religious discrimination giving rise to hate crimes against minorities in the Larkana district.

Where local youth councils have the opportunity to deliver activities and initiatives, the local government should document their efforts publicly to increase the council’s visibility and showcase its impact. This can help increase support for the youth council throughout the city and bolster recruitment efforts among young people by showcasing the action-oriented aspects of participating in the council. For example, the Federal Youth Authority in the United Arab Emirates has a dedicated website where it houses information about each local youth council and the projects it has delivered. Cities should also consider incorporating regular updates into their social media presence and other content where city updates are featured.

Cities should be mindful that community engagement contributes to genuine participation and is not merely tokenistic. One strategy is to provide a youth council with a budget for community engagement activities that it can use to address the challenges that young people identify as priorities and take action on behalf of and in cooperation with youth in the city. This should be accompanied by training that can upskill council members in how to plan, manage and evaluate community programmes.

Good Practice: Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town’s Junior City Council (JCC) is made up of 50 young people from around the city who serve a one-year term. During that year, each member must devise and deliver community improvement projects. Councillor Nelson, who oversees the JCC, shared with Strong Cities that each member is responsible for an individual leadership project that gets them ‘rolling up their sleeves to serve their community’. As a council, they also deliver a larger-scale ‘legacy project’ that is meant to have a lasting impact. In both cases, JCC members benefit from ongoing training and support from the city, including one-to-one mentorship. So, while the projects offer an ongoing opportunity to shape the city for the better, it also allows the youth to develop critical skills, which many have gone on to use professionally. Since 2022, twelve new youth-led community organisations have been launched by former members of the JCC.

6. Upskill council members

It is not enough to give young people a platform; a city should also help them develop the capacities needed to utilise it effectively. Incorporating capacity building and training into a youth council is essential for empowering young members to participate effectively and confidently in civic decision-making. Training equips them with knowledge about government processes and policy and builds vital skills like leadership and communication, which enable them to advocate for themselves and their peers. Paired with meaningful experiences, the chance to develop their capacities fosters personal and professional development, which helps the youth council members take on responsibilities, make informed contributions and work collaboratively. By investing in members’ growth, a youth council ensures that members can excel in their duties on the council and grow into fully engaged citizens who can make lasting, impactful contributions to the city.

To engage fully in the local governance dimensions of participation in a local youth council,  members need more than simple skills training. The Forum for Youth Investment has identified three core things a young person needs to be actively engaged in social change efforts, which provide a useful guide when designing training programmes for youth councils:

1. Capacity: Knowledge, leadership and action skills.
2. Motivation: Understanding and awareness of issues and root causes, systems, strategies for change, commitment and a sense of responsibility.
3. Opportunity: Chances to act on passions, use skills, and generate change through relevant sustained action.

Local governments should ensure that local youth councils can address all three of these needs to maintain an active and engaged member base. They should also endeavour to go beyond hard skills and help members learn how to work collaboratively with a wide range of different stakeholders, including those who do not agree with them. This kind of personal and professional development hinges on experience and can come from the opportunity to work directly with community members, take part in other government functions and through the structure of the council itself.

In Cape Town, South Africa, for example, the JCC takes part in a training programme that follows four pillars – local government, leadership development, project management and democracy – and incorporates a range of workshops, materials and engagement opportunities. What sets Cape Town’s training apart, however, is its personalised attention. The City Councillor, who oversees the JCC, explained to Strong Cities that each of the JCC’s 50 members is assigned to one of three dedicated officials who meet with them monthly to check how they are doing in the programme, identify potential pitfalls and ensure they are not only getting the kind of training and support they need but that they are engaging with it critically and can apply it meaningfully in their duties. As the Councillor explained, this process is critical for teaching members to be honest with themselves and the council and to ask for help when they need it rather than merely paying lip service to the process. 

In the Philippines, training incorporates a train-the-trainer aspect. Youth engagement in local governance is organised through the Youth Development Council, which draws representatives from youth organisations that advocate locally on behalf of young people nationally. Since members are drawn from youth organisations, training focuses on the skills and knowledge needed to deliver youth engagement programming, enhancing the kinds of programming young people can access within their cities.

One way youth councils can build members’ capacity is through mentoring. Rather than being isolated from the city council and other local government bodies, youth council members should have the opportunity to work alongside experienced members of the local government. Firstly, mentoring offers a chance to see governing in action and learn first-hand from experienced professionals. Secondly, it provides youth council members with a chance to build professional relationships –a skill and an outcome that can benefit them in the future. And just like the councils themselves, youth-adult relationships are most beneficial because they offer opportunities for genuine partnership, through which “youth and adults will collaborate in all aspects of group decision making from visioning to program planning, to evaluation and continuous improvement.” Young people can significantly contribute to decision-making if they are properly integrated into institutions and structures. In this way, mentoring adults should facilitate moments of action and learning rather than controlling them so youth have a chance to express their ideas and build their confidence as leaders.

Good Practice: Los Angeles (California), USA

The LA Youth Council provides several opportunities for the development and advancement of its members. Upon joining, council members are immediately enrolled in a civics course to give them a detailed introduction to city governance and structures. The City also provides training in professional skills, including public speaking and interviewing, as well as access to a range of conferences and expos and opportunities to work alongside city personnel and engage in round tables and discussions with the mayor and city council members. To help them make the most of these training opportunities, the City works with a private-sector partner to provide each youth council member with a professional consultation, during which they establish their goals, map out their desired career paths, identify their strengths and weaknesses and offer personalised recommendations.

A City official from the Youth Development Department who oversees the youth council told Strong Cities that their approach to capacity building balances a pre-set curriculum with the flexibility to incorporate useful external opportunities as they arise, being mindful not to overwhelm members. Therefore, in addition to providing their own training and working with other city departments to support members, the Youth Development Department also monitors for external opportunities and connects members with those that will be most relevant for their development.

7. Evaluate, learn and adjust

The local government should facilitate ongoing evaluation of the youth council’s activities:  this helps ensure that the body remains effective, relevant, and aligned with its goals and the goals of the local government at large. Regular assessment helps identify what is working well and what needs improvement, allowing the council to adapt its strategies, processes and focus areas based on real outcomes and feedback. Evaluation also holds the council accountable to its members and the wider community, ensuring that youth voices are genuinely being heard and acted upon. Moreover, it helps measure the impact of the council’s initiatives, ensuring they are making a tangible difference in addressing local youth issues. Continuous evaluation fosters transparency, strengthens decision-making, and ensures that the youth council grows and evolves to meet the changing needs of the community.

There are several considerations to bear in mind for local governments and others involved in evaluating a local youth council:

Evaluate against clear objectives and metrics. From the outset, a local youth council should have clear objectives it is working to meet and metrics it is working toward. They should be as specific and measurable as possible, like the number of young people engaged in a period or a particular community impact. These objectives and metrics will guide the council’s work and provide a set of criteria against which a city can evaluate to determine the council’s success and where it may be falling short.

Objectives and metrics should be set collaboratively with young people, government representatives and community actors to ensure they support the city’s wider objectives and reflect the needs and desires of young people in different communities. Local governments and others should keep in mind that the objectives and metrics set at the council’s inception will need to be re-examined over time to ensure they are still relevant and will likely need to be adjusted periodically in the same collaborative way in which they were set.

Involve young people in the evaluation process. Local governments and others involved in facilitating the evaluation of youth councils should ensure that youth members are consulted or otherwise involved in the evaluation, both in defining success and in reflecting on the council’s progress. This promotes ownership and accountability. It also provides an additional training opportunity through which members can learn the importance of evaluation and the technical skills involved in conducting one. (For more on how to involve young people in participatory evaluation, please see this UCLA guide).

Local governments and others involved in facilitating the evaluation should be mindful that the evaluation is inclusive and representative and take a strategic approach that captures diverse feedback, particularly from underrepresented or marginalised groups.

Diversify feedback mechanisms. Local governments and others involved in the facilitation of the evaluation should use multiple methods to gather feedback from a range of stakeholders, including council members, city officials, community members and other youth. These can include surveys – online and in-person – focus groups and interviews. Additionally, consider mechanisms that allow different stakeholders – including the community – to submit feedback or raise issues as they arise rather than waiting for a formal assessment. Maintaining a continuous line of communication will help ensure the youth council runs smoothly and that potential issues are addressed before they impact the council’s ability to work.

To ensure a well-rounded evaluation, local governments should collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data includes indicators like member experiences and community perceptions, while quantitative data includes things like the number of initiatives completed and participation rates.

Share the results publicly. Publicising the results of the evaluation will help ensure transparency and promote the work that the youth council is doing. A local government can showcase the youth council’s impact by sharing success stories, case studies and profiling council members on the city’s communication platforms. A local government should also be honest about shortcomings in the council and speak publicly about its plans to rectify them and improve the council going forward. Being honest about results publicly will help build trust in the youth council as an institution and show its commitment to meeting the city’s needs. For example, Des Moines, Iowa (USA) publishes an annual report for the city’s Youth Advisory Panel that documents its meetings, activities and accomplishments from the year.

For additional guidance on conducting a self-assessment of a youth council, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s mission in Skopje has devised a self-assessment model that includes a detailed checklist in its Manual for Local Youth Councils.

Conclusion

Young people are a critical component of any city’s strategy for addressing hate, extremism and polarisation. They present local government with both a challenge, as they often face greater vulnerabilities from hate and extremism, and the key to the solution as they bring a unique perspective and access that makes youth-oriented policies and programmes possible.  Moreover, their credible engagement can help shape the nature of civic involvement in the city well into the future. It is no surprise then that mayors and local governments in cities of all sizes and geographies have approached Strong Cities for guidance on how best to engage their young residents. Although there is a range of viable youth engagement strategies, one that stands out for its effectiveness and versatility is the local youth council.

As this policy brief has outlined, local youth councils, where properly designed and operationalised, provide a platform for young people to meaningfully contribute to the functioning of their local government and a chance for local governments to bridge trust divides and establish a productive relationship with young people across demographics. When done well, a local youth council offers mutual benefits for participating youth and the city they serve as they grow into informed and engaged residents who are well placed to reach their peers and promote policies and programmes that will contribute to whole-of-city efforts to prevent hate, extremism and polarisation and support a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous city.  

Resources 

Strong Cities Resources

• A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism & Polarisation. Strong Cities Network. November 2023 (Updated September 2024)
• A Guide For Cities: Preventing Hate, Extremism & Polarisation. Strong Cities Network. November 2023 (Updated November 2024)
• Young Cities: A Practical Guide to Youth Capacity Building for Countering Hate and Extremism. Strong Cities Network. 2022.

Additional Resources

• Building Effective Youth Councils A Practical Guide to Engaging Youth in Policy Making. The Forum for Youth Investment (2007).
• Manual for Local Youth Councils. Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe: Mission to Skopje (2021).
• Guide to Cross-Sectoral Youth Assessments. USAID (2009).
• Global Youth Council Guide: Promoting Youth Voices in Local Decision Making. National Democratic Institute (2021).
• Needs assessment: Families and Children Expert Panel Practice Resource. Australian Institute of Family Studies (2019).
• Youth Engagement in Evaluation. UCLA Centre for the Developing Adolescent (2023).
• Youth Council Toolkit: How to create and support a youth council in your community. Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

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