LOCAL COMMUNITY YOUTH COUNCILS

 

Many Massachusetts communities offer youth the opportunity to communicate directly with the local government through Community Youth Councils. These programs are one of the best, and often the only, chance young people have to represent themselves in local politics.

Community Youth Councils are often started through the initiative of local youth. For example, Northampton Youth Commission was founded when a group of teenage residents of Northampton approached the mayor with the idea of creating a special commission composed entirely of young people. Their goal was to give youth a voice in local politics, a voice that they felt was all too often dismissed or ignored. Members of the Hyde Square Task Force in Jamaica Plain took a different approach: lobbying successfully to lower the local voting age so that 16-18 year olds could vote and run as candidates for the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council. Young people are encouraged to explore youth representation in their communities or through the Massachusetts Regional and State Student Advisory Councils.

Below is a list of some youth councils from around the state. If you do not see your local city or town named, you should explore the programs available in their area by contacting the mayor's office, the city council, town offices, or a nearby community center.

Andover Youth Council

36 Bartlet Street

Andover, MA 01810

Telephone” 978-623-8241

Email: youth@andoverma.gov

Website: www.andoveryouthservices.com

 

Barnstable Youth Commission

Barnstable Youth Services Division

367 Main Street

Hyannis, MA  02601

Telephone: 508-862-4633

 

Belmont Youth Commission

PO Box 56

19 Moore St.

Belmont, MA 02478

Telephone: 617-993-2728

 

Boston Mayor’s Youth Council

Boston City Hall, Room 603

Boston, MA 02201

Telephone: 617-635-4490

Email: youthcouncil@cityofboston.gov

Website: www.bostonyouthzone.com/myc

 

Bourne Youth Council

175 Main Street

Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

Telephone: 508-759-4420 x201

 

Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield Tri Town Council

49 Main Street

Topsfield, MA 01983

Telephone: 978-887-6512

Email: http://www.tritowncouncil.org/

 

Cambridge Kid's Council, Youth Involvement Subcommittee

51 Inman Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

Telephone: 617-349-6239

Email: kidscouncil@cambridgema.gov

 

Canton Youth Commission

92 Pleasant Street

Canton, MA 02021

Telephone: 781-821-5030

Email: jkaylor@town.canton.ma.us

 

Dedham Youth Commission

26 Bryant Street

Dedham, MA 02026

Telephone: 781-751-9190

Email: tclinton@dedham-ma.gov

 

Fall River Team FRESH (formerly Mayor’s Youth Council)

1 Government Center, 4th Floor

Fall River, MA 02722

Telephone: 508-324-2419

 

Hopkinton Youth Commission

Email: hopkintonyouthcommission@yahoo.com

Website: www.hopkintonyouth.org

 

Lawrence Youth Commission

65 Haverhill Street

Lawrence, MA 01841

Telephone: 978- 681-0548‎

Website: www.youthbuild.org

 

Lowell Mayor’s Joint Youth Commission

25 Shattuck St., 3rd Floor

Lowell, MA 01854

Telephone: 978-970-3342

Website: www.lowellma.gov

 

Malden Youth Commission

200 Pleasant Street

Malden, MA 02148

Telephone: 781- 397-7060

Website: www.cityofmalden.org

Millis Youth Commission

900 Main Street

Millis, MA 02054

Telephone: 508-376-7050

Website: www.millis.net

 

Natick Youth Advisory Board

117 East Central Street

Natick, MA 01760

Telephone: 508-647-6519

Email: www.natickma.org

Website: mmunns@natickma.org

 

New Bedford Mayor's Youth Council

c/o YWCA of Southeastern Massachusetts

20 South Sixth Street

New Bedford, MA 02740

Telephone: 508-965-6927

 

Newburyport Youth Council

60 Pleasant Street

Newburyport, MA 01950

Telephone: 978-465-4434

Website: www.newburyportyouthservices.com

 

Newton Youth Commission

Newton City Hall

1000 Commonwealth Ave

Newton, MA 02459

Telephone: 617-796-1290

Email: bdroz@newtonma.gov

Website: www.ci.newton.ma.us/youth

 

Northampton Youth Commission

c/o Mayor’s Office

City Hall

210 Main Street

Northampton, MA 01060

Telephone: 413-587-1249

Email: www.northamptonma.gov/youthcommission

Website: nohoyouth@yahoo.com

  

North Andover Youth Commission

 Joseph N. Hermann Youth Center

33 Johnson Street

North Andover, MA 01845

Telephone: (978) 682-9000

Email: info@nayouth.com

Website: www.nayouth.com

 

North Reading Youth Services

235 North Street

North Reading, MA 01864

Telephone: 978-357-5281

Email: northreadingyouthservices@gmail.com

Website: www.northreadingyouthservices.com

 

Pittsfield Youth Commission

City Hall

70 Allen Street

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Telephone: 413-448-9735

Email: youth@pittsfieldch.com

 

Rockland Youth Commission

394 Union Street

Rockland, MA 02370

Telephone: 781-871-1730‎

Email: rycyouth@yahoo.com

Website: www.rocklandrec.org

 

Salem Youth Commission

93 Washington Street

Salem, MA 01970

Telephone: 978-619-5601

Email: twatkins@salem.com

Website: http://www.salem.com/Pages/SalemMA_BComm/youth

 

Sudbury Youth Commission

40 Fairbank Road

Sudbury, MA 01776

Telephone: 978-639-3227

Email: youth@sudbury.ma.us

Website: www.youth.sudbury.ma.us

  

Saugus Youth and Recreation Commission

400 Central Street

Saugus, MA 01906

Telephone: 781-231-4022

 

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