Governance: Appointed Youth Council

In some situations youth leaders like to hand pick their leadership. This usually suggests youth leaders with control issues – but experience often confirms the wisdom of an appointed youth council. You can get a more compatible, cooperative and, if chosen well, productive and even creative team. Generally speaking, as readers of this blog will recognize, I have theological and developmental objections to strong adult leadership that leave little room for youth leadership (a good youth leader does need to be strong, but not at the expense of the youth).

• Pros:
  • Better mix of leaders
  • Disruptive and incompatible youth can be avoided (Is this really a “pro?”)
  • Better workers and better commitment to the program and its leaders
  • Efficient, especially any meetings
  • The kids feel special
• Cons:
  • The Kids feel special and may be viewed by the other youth as “teacher's pets.”
  • They become a group within the group and have an experience not shared with the larger group
  • There may be potential leaders of importance that are never called on
  • They may be too agreeable and not challenge the youth leader's assumptions and ideas
• Working with an appointed youth council
  • Pick a diverse committee representing more than subgroups but also personality types
  • Pick at least one contrarian to stir things up
  • Use a passive method of leading the meeting, not just laying out your ideas and agendas.
  • Have them poll the larger group about issues and ideas
  • Give them “feet-washing” jobs that remind them that they are servants of the other youth: work a food serving line, be responsible for cleanup after events, etc
  • As I've mentioned elsewhere in my blog, since these youth are getting plenty of attention already, you can focus on giving attention to the other youth in every other situation – to the point of ignoring the council youth.