ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Application: Online application submissions may not be altered once submitted. This is a one-time submission, the portions of your application completed online will be available to download after submission and will be used during both the County and State selection process. Please print or save your application for your records.

Age: Youth between the ages of 13-21 can apply to the NYS Governor’s Youth Council; the State and County will work to have a balanced representation on the Council be based on age, gender, ethnicity and other factors that make up the diversity of New York’s youth. Candidates must be no younger than 13 and no older than 21 years of age on March 31, 2025 to be selected to the Youth Council. This is an incredible opportunity for youth’s voice to be heard at the statewide level on issues impacting youth.

Attendance: The NYS Governor’s Youth Council members will be required to participate in regional and statewide meetings, at minimum monthly, though often bi-weekly depending on assignments.  All meetings will be held virtually unless otherwise notified.

Cultural Diversity and Inclusion: Members of the NYS Governor’s Youth Council serve as volunteers. In order to ensure diverse perspectives - special consideration for membership will be given to members of historically underserved, disadvantaged and marginalized populations. These populations include but are not limited to; people of color, members of the LBGTQ+ community, rural New Yorkers, Veterans, immigrants, people with disabilities (including physical), and people who have limited English proficiency.

State and Regional Participation Requirements

The NYS Governor’s Youth Council members will be required to participate in regional and statewide meetings, at minimum monthly, though often bi-weekly depending on assignments.  All meetings will be held virtually unless otherwise notified.

Youth will be trained in basic civics, effective youth voice, understanding state and local budgets, and other topics pertinent to positive youth development.

Candidates selected at the state level will participate in regional teams. Youth will be expected to attend regional virtual meetings often bi-weekly. One or more county youth bureau directors and/or regional representative will provide coordination and adult partnership.

Each regional team will work on identified topic areas.  

Youth will make recommendations to the State on how to effectively address concerns regarding the topic area. 

Recommendations will include at a minimum a definition of the problem, proposed changes to law, regulation and/or policy and suggested programmatic ideas to address the problem, and if the proposal is local, regional or statewide.