YLI recruits MCYC members and provides them with training in community research, community organizing, advocacy and other skills needed to engage the political and policymaking processes. YLI also helps build partnerships between MCYC and adult allies, such as elected officials, county staff and educators. Current MCYC projects include:

Education Equity: MCYC works with various community partners to insure that all students in Marin succeed in school. Youth commissioners organized a poster contest to promote the A-G requirements needed to attend a UC or State School, raised $5,000 to support SAT Prep classes and test books for students, and facilitated an annual Youth Forum on Education Equity.

Youth Vote: Youth Vote is a national project that increases civic and political participation among youth. MCYC oversees Youth Vote in Marin during each federal election year, coordinating a network of school-site representatives and obtaining ballots and surveys from thousands of young people. MCYC holds community meetings to discuss what youth have to say about the current national, state and local elections and about urgent community issues. MCYC also presents the Marin Youth Vote results to the Marin County Board of Supervisors, School Board Members and other local leaders.

Transportation: This is one of the biggest issues in Marin and MCYC has worked with Marin Transit to insure that low-income students receive free bus passes and to improve routes and schedules so that youth can make it around the County.

Youth Homelessness: MCYC has worked closely with Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO) to raise awareness about youth homelessness in Marin—an issue most people want to ignore. The Commission helped AHO organize a community forum on this issue and bring this issue to a meeting of the Board of Supervisors. A Commissioners letter to the editor was also printed in the local newspaper to further draw attention to this issue.

MarinYouth.Org: In order to inform and connect Marin youth the Commission has created its own web site: http://www.marinyouth.org. Check it out!

Other Issues: The Commission has also written resolutions opposing the Iraq war, given community presentations about internet safety and youth rights, and helped organize a youth forum to address immigration and to condemn immigration raids in Marin County.

2006-2007 Youth Commission Annual Report (pdf)

Aug 2007-Feb 2008 Youth Commission Update (pdf)

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