One of the pleasures of my job is occasionally having the opportunity to work with the Catawba County Youth Council.  The Youth Council is a standing committee of the Catawba County Board of County Commissioners.  It is comprised of student representatives from each of the high schools and representatives from community organizations.

During a meeting in the Fall, I asked them about some of the features on our website and how we could improve it.  I asked if they would be willing to review the site and give me some thoughts. A young lady responded, “I didn’t know that you would want my opinion.”  I asked why she thought that I would not want her opinion and she responded by saying the nobody ever asked youth about government and they felt that their involvement was not really wanted.

This statement reflects a real issue with citizen engagement, or at the very least, a real communication breakdown.  This particular young lady was not old enough to vote but her ideas about government are forming and will definitely influence her in the future.  The fact is that our youth have a lot to offer local government besides a vote.  They see things in different ways. They have different perspectives on everyday issues. They question things that adults have quit questioning even though they know things could be better.  They bring creativity to the table.  They see the environment and earth’s resources as their future.  They live and breathe the new technology and use it in ways that older adults never imagined.

Does their opinion matter?  Yes! Local government can learn so much from the youth in the community and we should take every opportunity to do so.  They are our future, but working together in the present will take the journey to new heights and lead to a better future for all.

You can visit the Catawba County Youth Council’s Facebook Group at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30409116365&ref=ts   

You can visit the Catawba County’s Facebook page at: http://www.new.facebook.com/pages/Newton-NC/Catawba-County-North-Carolina/25829482210?ref=ts