By: Emma Smith
Whether immersing yourself in the YAG program has ignited a passion for government or social change within you or you watched one too many Suits episodes on Netflix, you may be wondering how to be more involved in your community and government after conference has concluded.
Here are 5 ways to explore local government and impact your community outside of YAG:
Join Student Government at Your School
Running for and acquiring an elected position within your school government, while easier said than done, is a great way to get insight into how small-scale governments are run. Student-led governments allow you to impact your school community by giving you a space to express your opinions, collaborate with your peers, and generate ideas.
Join Clubs
Another outlet for government exploration within a school community is joining clubs. Clubs like Speech and Debate, Mock Trial, clubs involving political parties, or Model UN allow you to explore your interests in structured government environments. If a club you want doesn't exist, make it!
Attend Local Meetings
If your school community is too small for your ambitions, try attending local board meetings, city council meetings, education meetings, etc. These spaces are made for community input and thrive by hearing from the people who are impacted by their decisions. Meeting locations are often posted online! If you want to make a change in your community, go be the change-maker!
Email Your Representative
If you want your solutions on issues to be heard, email, tweet, or write to your representatives. It is your right as a civilian to communicate with those who represent the people, and they often write back and are willing to listen to your input. Members of Congress can introduce and sponsor bills, and this is better done when they hear from the people. Voice your thoughts on the things that affect you! You can find your representative by visiting this site and entering your ZIP Code.
Intern On Local Political Campaigns
Working with political candidates, allows you to garner experience in government environments and see the prevalent issues being focused on by the leaders of tomorrow. By seeing the inner workings of a political campaign and working with political leaders, you can explore your interests and have an impact on things that affect your community directly. Volunteer or internship opportunities are often posted on candidate's websites!
Stay up to date on the news, nurture your passions, and come back to YAG next year to continue making an impact as we are the leaders of today.
