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Youth Governors Association Survey

With the cancellation of this year's in-person Youth Governors Conference, we are excited to invite this year's incoming Youth Governors to help us pilot our YMCA Youth Governors Association (YGA).

Modeled on the National Governors Association, this year-round support network will help us connect our Youth Governors with the resources, training, partners, and policymakers they'll need to serve as effective leaders of your state programs.

Please complete this survey with your feedback by COB on Thursday, May 14th.



Youth Governor Information
Let us know the status of your elections for Youth Governor, the names of Youth Governors already elected for the 2020-2021 Program Year, and any additional notes. 

Note: We will only be including Youth Governors (and Youth Mayor for DC) in the Youth Governors Association, but have plans to provide a similar forum for our Model UN Secretaries General and other state officer roles.


If your election is scheduled, what date will it take place?

Please elaborate on your state's status.

How many Governors does your state typically elect?

If not yet elected, put TBD

If not yet elected, put TBD

If not yet elected, put TBD

If not yet elected, put TBD

If not yet elected, put TBD

If not yet elected, put TBD

If not yet elected, put TBD

If not yet elected, put TBD

Mission & Goals 

The mission of the YMCA Youth Governors Association is to provide our Youth Governors with a community and platform to grow and collaborate as effective, knowledgeable, connected, and inclusive changemakers for their states. 

This first year of the Youth Governors Association will focus on the 8 goals outlined below (in no particular order). Each goal directly connects to the Y's Cause-Driven Leadership Competency Model. 

Please score each goal individually in terms of importance from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important) to help us prioritize the goals most relevant to our state programs. If you have additional content or goals you'd like us to consider, please include them in the optional recommendation fields.
Goal 1: History, Legacy, and Purpose of Y&G and the Y Movement
Understand the history/legacy, purpose, and structure of both the Youth and Government program and the YMCA movement overall. This will allow Youth Governors to more effectively:
  • Be a public advocate and spokesperson for the Y and their Y&G program
  • Train and educate their leadership/officer team and peers
  • Integrate the mission and heritage of the YMCA into their conference
  • Engage in philanthropic efforts on behalf of their programs
Leadership Competency Model: Advancing Our Mission & Cause

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal 2: Relationships with Networks
Build meaningful relationships with the following networks to support their work as Youth Governors and change-makers in their states and communities:
  • Fellow Youth Governors
  • YMCA Staff & Volunteers
  • Youth and Government Alumni & YMCA Alumni in Public, Private, and Non-Profit Sectors
  • Governors & State/Federal Elected/Public Officials
  • State-Serving National Organizations (National Governors Association, etc.)
  • Partner Organizations in the Civic Education and Youth Development sectors
Leadership Competency Model: Building Relationships

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal 3: State Executive Skills
Develop specific state executive skills necessary to serving as Governor:
  • Appropriations & Budgeting
  • Cabinet Selection & Management
  • Collaborating with Governor’s Office & Staff
  • Developing and Promoting a Policy Agenda
  • Legislative Affairs & Lobbying
Leadership Competency Model: Leading Operations

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal 4: Emerging Policy Issues & Legislation
Analyze, engage, and advocate on emerging policy issues and legislation from expert stakeholders, policymakers, interest groups, and state-serving organizations:
  • Learn how to incorporate research and policy best practices from state-serving organizations like the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Council of State Governments into their policy agendas and legislative analysis
  • Incorporate research and policy best practices into policy agendas
  • Learn how to analyze legislation from a non-partisan, evidence-based policy approach using best practice approaches and techniques
  • Analyze trends, patterns, and indicators across youth legislation proposed and passed in their state programs and around the country.
  • Apply experience with policy issues towards strengthening youth legislation in their respective state programs.
Leadership Competency Model: Leading Operations

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal 5: Communication & Facilitation Skills
Strengthen Communication & Facilitation Skills:
  • Speechwriting & Public Speaking
  • Personal Branding & Social Media Identity
  • Team Facilitation & Meeting Preparation
  • Decision-making and Negotiating
  • Working and Collaborating with Staff, Volunteers & Adult Stakeholders
  • Engaging with State Officials & Partners
Leadership Competency Model: Building Relationships

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal 6: Servant Leadership Skills
Strengthen servant leadership skills through service-learning, leadership trainings/workshops, and family group sessions:
  • Facilitating national-level service opportunities and collaborations
  • Fostering connections with local, state, and national service partner organizations (i.e. Youth Service America)
  • Guided discussions with family groups on servant leadership and personal development
  • Importance of reflection in service-learning cycle through personal journaling
  • Introduction to state and national service experiences (Corporation for National and Community Service, AmeriCorps VISTA/NCCC, State Service Commissions, etc.)
Leadership Competency Model: Advancing Our Mission & Cause

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal 7: Diversity, Inclusion, and Global Strategies
Understand and practice Diversity, Inclusion, and Global Strategies that promote equity and accessibility in their schools, communities, Y&G programs, and states
  • Discuss and explore the Dimensions of Diversity on the personal, programmatic, and societal levels
  • Identify strategies for increased inclusion and program accessibility
  • Connect and apply global strategies (Sustainable Development Goals) to a local and state context for delegations and programs
  • Incorporate these lenses into their interactions and decisions as a leader of their state programs.
Leadership Competency Model: Building Relationships

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal 8: Character Development & Social-Emotional Learning
Engage in Character Development and Social-Emotional Learning:
  • Personal Development & Responsibility: self-awareness, accountability, understanding personal strengths/weaknesses and leadership styles
  • Relationship Building: networking with individuals/groups; conversational cues and strategies
  • Emotion Management & Empathy: understanding/empathizing with needs team members, follow-up notes/communication, thank you’s and stewardship
Leadership Competency Model: Developing & Inspiring People

Please score from 1 (Not Important) to 10 (Very Important)

Optional - Is there any content you would add (or remove) from this goal?
Goal Review & Additional Recommendations
To review, here are all 8 goals outlined for this year's Youth Governors Association:

1. History, Legacy, and Purpose of Y&G and the Y Movement
2. Relationships with Networks
3. State Executive Skills
4. Emerging Policy Issues & Legislation
5. Communication & Facilitation Skills
6. Servant Leadership Skills
7. Diversity, Inclusion, & Global Strategies
8. Character Development & Social Emotional Learning

Optional - Are there any other additional goals you would like us to consider?

Center for Best Practices

As part of the Youth Governors Association, each Youth Governor will select one of 5 divisions of the YGA Center for Best Practices, modeled on the NGA’s Center for Best Practices to increase opportunities for collaboration/mentoring:
  
1. Economic Opportunity
2. Education
3. Energy, Infrastructure, & Environment
4. Health
5. Homeland Security & Public Safety

As part of their on-boarding process, incoming Youth Governors will rank these 5 divisions in order of preference. Youth Governors will be placed into their preferred division, which will also act as their family group, building a foundation for year-long collaboration.

Each division/family will also be assigned a YMCA staff member and collegiate volunteer from our existing Youth Governors Conference Planning Team as chaperones and mentors.

Optional - Do you have any potential contacts, partners, or alumni who you would like us to connect with one of our divisions?

Optional - Are there any alumni contacts or speakers you would like us to connect with for our YGA sessions?

YGA Fee & Next Steps

To help support the organization and coordination of the Youth Governors Association, the fee for year-long participation will be $250 per person (in place of the normal $1,000+ in per person expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and activities for our in-person conference).

Once we have received feedback from all of our active state programs by Wednesday, May 13th, we will send next steps to State Directors and their Youth Governors about registration and on-boarding.

Optional - Do you have any additional thoughts or questions for our planning team?