They host concerts, address gangs and violence and bring students together for a city-wide summit – and they’re all less than 19 years old.
Evanston’s Youth Council, led by the city’s Youth Coordinator Sol Anderson, brings together high school students to address youth-related community issues.
“The Youth Council is basically the city of Evanston’s representative body of voice for youth in the community,” Anderson said. “It gives the city a perspective on what youth want.”
The council, now in its third year, develops youth programs for the city, including an annual Youth Summit.
Anderson said he is reviewing applicants for this year’s council, which will consist of 15 to 20 members. The council’s members will be finalized within a few weeks, he said.Although some of the council’s previous members have had leadership experience, Anderson said there is no “prototypical” council member. Rather, the council wants to include youth who have made mistakes in the past.
“There are a lot of people whose experiences growing up in the community are very different,” Anderson said. “All young people make up the youth of Evanston, so we want to have a wide perspective. All we really want is a desire to lead in the community.”
In addition to the Youth Summit, the council has also developed anti-violence programs and held a music competition, Anderson said. Last year, the Youth Council held the Battle of the Bands at Evanston SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave.
Ted Sirota, artistic director at Boocoo Cafe and Cultural Center, 1823 Church St., worked with the council to organize the Battle of the Bands. Sirota said the event’s goal was to involve the community’s youth.
This year, the Battle of the Bands will take place Nov. 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Evanston SPACE.
“It’s important to have anything for the youth that doesn’t come across as being forced upon them by adults, things they can take up on their own and be excited about,” Sirota said. “They can do something organized and sponsored by adults that isn’t corny or boring.”
Although this year’s council has not yet been chosen, Anderson said some of the plans for this year were developed by last year’s board. Many youth are interested in developing a teen center, he said.
By participating in the council, youth have an opportunity to see how government and communities work, Anderson said.
“They get an insight in how decisions are made on a local level,” he said. “They can understand how to develop community partnerships. This is an opportunity to look at the community as a whole and diagnose its problems.”
Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste (2nd), who said he has always had an interest in youth initiatives, said the council gives a voice to Evanston’s youth.
“What it does is to say to the youth that we value them, their opinion, their insight,” Jean-Baptiste said. “Getting their insight into different matters gives us a more balanced approach as to what we should do to serve the community.”
Anderson said it is important to invest in the community’s younger generations because so many teens have become disengaged from their communities.
“We need to re-engage them, help them feel like they’re a part of it,” Anderson said. “If we don’t invest in our youth, we’re going to have a generation coming through without an understanding of what needs are in the community.”[email protected]
