13th Senate District

Youth Advisory Council

The Senate District 13 Youth Advisory Council, offered by Senator Aird provides an effective way for youth to engage in state government while providing a platform for their voices to be heard by policymakers at the state and local level. This is an incredible opportunity for youth in the district to represent their community on a statewide level.

Members of the YAC will advise Senator Aird and Virginia’s leaders about ways to engage young people, serve as ambassadors for their communities, and organize civic engagement activities for their peers. A scholarship will be awarded to a member of the YAC who demonstrates leadership above and beyond to their communities.

APPLY HERE

Program Overview

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Must be a resident of 13th Senatorial District

  • Currently in grades 8-11th

  • Minimum of a 2.5 GPA 

  • 1 Personal Statement of interest in serving on the Advisory Council

  • 1 Letter of Recommendation (personal/professional allowed)

Important Dates

Application Deadline October 31, 2024 

  • Notification of Acceptees December 13, 2024

  • Quarterly Meetings

    • December 30, 2024 (Virtual Kickoff Meeting & Informational Session)

    • January 20, 2025 (Visit to the Capitol)

    • TBD - February Virtual Meeting

    • TBD - May Virtual Meeting

    • TBD - June Advisory Council Public Event & Final Meeting

* All meetings will be given with 30-days notice

Additional Information

All applicants must have transportation to the opening meeting at the Virginia State Capitol on MLK Day, January 20, 2025. In addition, any accepted participant unable to participate in a majority of the meetings will be deemed ineligible to serve on the advisory council.

Program Focus

Leadership Development | Civic Mindedness | Service | Youth Outreach

Each individual that becomes a member of the Youth Advisory Council will complete the program having benefit in the following ways:

Leadership Development

Aside from increasing their creativity, confidence, and their sense of independence, being a part of a youth advisory council will also build valuable knowledge and skills to include:

  • Professionalism 

  • Teamwork and Cooperation  

  • Conflict Resolution, Time-management and Organization  

  • Communication, Public speaking and Strategic Thinking 

Civic Mindedness, Service with Youth Outreach

Understanding how decisions are made by local and state policy makers, how to advocate for the needs of a community and engaging in projects like:

  • Designing and implementing specific projects through a small events (think: MLK day community-wide service project or hunger awareness walk)  

  • Designing and planning initiatives and activities “by youth, for youth”  

  • Acting as peer mentors, conflict mediators, or educators for existing youth service organizations and projects 

  • Advocating for an organization’s mission - environmental issues, animal rights, homelessness, hunger, etc. (What if every press release, conference workshop proposal for funding request included content authored by youth like our YAC members)   

  • Representing or speaking on behalf of an organization (in a community where 30% of residents are youth, shouldn’t 1 in every 3 members of a panel discussing community issues be a young person?)  

  • Researching or making assessments and evaluations of current youth and community programs  

  • Establishing a service project for foster youth, youth in shelters or incarcerated.