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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Adrienne M. Holloway Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer
DATE: August 15, 2017
SUBJECT:
Resolution Establishing the Aurora Youth Council
PURPOSE:
To provide leadership development opportunities for Aurora youth through the creation of the City of Aurora Youth Council (AYC). The AYC will assume an advisory role for our elected body on issues related to our city’s youth population as well as be involved in conducting outreach and engagement activities to ensure young people are becoming more involved in their city.
BACKGROUND:
A significant component of your vision for the city of Aurora was to increase civic engagement among Aurora residents, particularly our young residents. After meeting with members of several diverse Aurora based youth groups, it was determined that an initial approach to increasing youth civic and community participation is through the establishment of a youth council.
This AYC will provide a structure to which young people will be able to develop leadership skills, administration and management skills and interpersonal skills by virtue of AYC’s responsibilities, which will include:
*Delivering research presentations to the Aurora Mayor and City Council on youth determined subject matter.
*Organization and execution of AYC led events.
*Attendance at community events as representatives of the AYC.
The City of Aurora has contained within its corporate boundaries representation of 6 school districts() that collectively serve 84,166 students(), where 18,8912 are high school aged. High school graduation rates for area students are on average 88% with a range of 64% on the low end (East Aurora High School) and 98% on the high end (Kaneland High School)(2). It is anticipated that the involvement of youth within the AYC as well as the work of the AYC will contribute to increasing graduation rates. It is also expected that the AYC will directly and indirectly encourage young people to pursue advanced education, training and leadership opportunities that will contribute to a well prepared and talented population of young leaders in the city of Aurora.
DISCUSSION:
With input provided by youth service providers, the attached by-laws were drafted. Many young people have expressed interest in participating on the AYC. Accordingly, to establish an equitable practice in the population of the AYC, an application process will be instituted. In addition, a ratio system that is structured to determine the number of students, per school district, that is able to populate the board has been developed and is as follows:
-2 of AYC seats are designated for East Aurora HS students.
-2 of AYC seats are designated for West Aurora HS students.
-2 of AYC seats are designated for Metea Valley HS students.
-2 of AYC seats are designated for Waubonsie Valley HS students.
-1 of AYC seats is designated for Oswego East HS students.
-1 of AYC seats is designated for Batavia HS students.
-1 of AYC seats is designated for Kaneland HS students.
-1 of AYC seats is designated for IMSA HS students.
-4 of AYC seats are designated for Aurora area private high school students: Marmion, Aurora Christian School, Aurora Central Catholic, Rosary.
-1 of the AYC seats is designated as an at large seat, open to any student.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The impact on the city will be minimal and will be outweighed by the positive benefits to be achieved by the establishment of the AYC:
*Some staff time will be required to assist the AYC with navigating city resources such as use of meeting space, planning and execution of one event per year.
*The 2017 budget will support AYC activities with an allocation of $1,500 in account 101-1370-440.32-20.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution establishing the Aurora Youth Council.
cc: Alderman Hart-Burns, Chairman
Alderman Mervine
Alderman Lofchie
Alderman Franco, Alternate
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution Establishing the Aurora Youth Council.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora is serviced by 6 school districts; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has more than 18,000 young people who are attending high school across the 6 school districts; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of the Aurora Youth Council will enable Aurora’s high school youth to develop leadership and soft skills and become more civically engaged while also providing valuable insight on the interest of our young citizen to our Aurora elected body; and)
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows:
1) That the Aurora Youth Council shall be comprised of seventeen (17) persons appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council as adopted by city resolution. Council members shall serve a two-year term. Terms of office of council members shall be staggered as evenly as possible. The Chief Innovation Officer or designee shall have an ex-officio member on the Aurora Youth Council.
2) That the Aurora Youth Council shall elect members to an Executive Board including but not limited to the following positions: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer in accordance with the By-laws.
3) That the Aurora Youth Council shall adopt By-laws which shall be approved by the City Council