Leadership (1)
- Carolyn Kreuger
-
Program Director
carolyn@kidsvotingdurham.org
Topics
Youth Candidate Guides and Forum - Donors and volunteers needed
March 24, 2011
For the last 3 years, Kids Voting Durham has supported young people from schools and organizations throughout Durham to create their own candidate guides and hold a youth forum with local candidates. Students create the candidate questionairres, compile the answers and guide information, and help distribute the guide throughout the schools and community. The also run the forum in an innovative format that they designed where candidates round robin with small group of youth and have real conversations. The candidates get as much out of this the students do, and as a result this guide and forum have been the only ones in Durham that every local candidate has participated in.
For young people, getting to voice their opinions and being listened to by their community leaders can be a transformative experience and helps them really believe in their power as engaged citizens. But this is as much about community development for Durham as it is about youth development. At Kids Voting Durham, we firmly believe that elected officials can't make the best decisions for our community and adult voters can't cast a truly informed vote unless they know what Durham's young people think about the candidates and issues and hear their thoughts and experiences.
We want to continue these valuable activities for the 2011 November Mayoral and City Council Elections. But with severe cuts to our State and other funding, it won't be possible unless we find new sources of financial support. We always also need adult ally volunteers who will support (not direct!) the students as they lead these activities.
Want to know more? Contact Carolyn Kreuger at 560-7321 or carolyn@kidsvotingdurham.org.
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