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Everyone has days when they wonder if what they do at work really makes a difference in the lives of others.  This week, I received concrete evidence that programs managed by the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office (YAIO) can have a considerable impact on a youth’s future.

Jim Slaughter, who attended Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA) from Cabarrus County and rose through the ranks to serve as a Tri-Speaker in 1982, emailed with heartfelt regret that he was unable to attend a reunion during the 41st  annual YLA , to be held March 11-13. He is now a Partner in a Greensboro law firm.

 
“Much of my youth was spent in YAIO activities, which shaped my life and even connected me with the person I’ve been married to for 23 years,” wrote Slaughter, who served as Vice-Chair of the Governor’s Youth Advisory Council and Chairman of the State Youth Council.  “Thanks for all you do.  It can have a great impact!”

Slaughter worked on an YLA bill that called for adding a youth member to four state boards impacting young people.  That bill was later taken up by the General Assembly and enacted into law.  At age 17, Slaughter became the first youth member of the Governor’s Crime Commission.

Additionally, Slaughter’s early introduction to parliamentary procedure became a lifelong interest.  A Certified Professional Parliamentarian who has published widely on the topic, he served as first President of the American College of Parliamentary Lawyers. 

The eldest of Slaughter’s three sons will enter high school next year, and their dad is eager for them to enjoy the same leadership opportunities that inspired him. “At the time, I was involved because it was fun,” he wrote.  “I now realize it also taught me invaluable lessons about our state, working with others, and being effective in meetings.”

There are certain things that transcend language barriers, such as being part of a collaborative effort that seeks to provide meaningful services to youth and their families. We enjoyed such an experience Monday morning when members of the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office met with Russian officials to explain the various ways we connect with constituents.

Child Advocate Trishana Jones, SADD Coordinator Harriett Southerland and I met with the six members of the Russian group, their translator and a representative of GLOBALHOUSE, which coordinated the exchange. We talked about our signature programs, including the State Government Internship Program, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Youth Legislative Assembly and State Youth Councils, and the case advocacy we provide to youth and families statewide. 

Our guests said they were especially interested in how we work to empower youth to take on leadership roles and how we engage partners, including local governments, to facilitate programs that help to build stronger communities. They seemed impressed by how we leverage established relationships, and solicit financial support from public and private entities, to make it possible for more North Carolina youth to benefit from advocacy services or participate in quality service learning opportunities.

We are grateful for the chance to connect with colleagues who do similar work so far away, and gratified to realize that our experiences may help them better serve Russian youth.

A key part of the mission of the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office is to provide our state’s youth with quality service learning opportunities that prepare them for leadership roles.  We were proud this week to feature the accomplishments of three recent program participants who joined us for a segment of OPEN/net.

Alyssa Egel-Johnson, a junior at Green Hope High School in Cary, DeWarren Langley, who attends NC Central University Law School, and Caroline Yarnell, a senior at Carrboro High School, eloquently described their positive experiences with our signature programs: State Youth Council, Youth Legislative Assembly, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and the State Government Internship Program.

It was gratifying to hear how each student’s experience had changed his or her life and helped them develop important life skills, including confident public speaking. They spoke with passion and commitment about feeling empowered to help solve problems facing young people – instead of relying upon adults to do this for them.

They also talked about taking responsibility for school- or community-based projects (everything from writing grant proposals to managing budgets and producing results), the networking opportunities to work with other motivated students, and the discovery of diverse employment opportunities within state government.

We often hear from successful individuals in both the public and private sectors who remember their roles as youth legislators or summer interns with not just fondness but a real belief that these experiences helped shaped their adult lives.  We value this endorsement and pledge to continue offering North Carolina youth opportunities to find their voice and build bright futures.

Everyone in the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office is humming a happy song today.

On Friday, we learned that the 2011 State Government Internship Program has received a $47,190 award to create up to 10 Student Energy Internship and Fellowship Program positions. The award was possible thanks to both our collaborative colleagues at the State Energy Office in the N.C. Department of Commerce, and the federal government for providing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants.

This good news could not have come at a better time. We are in the process of finalizing the roster of 2011 State Government Internship opportunities for the upcoming summer program, which will shrink this year due to ongoing budget concerns. These much-needed funds will replace up to 10 positions that otherwise would have been cut – and support energy-specific projects that will give students a resume-building boost in the growing green economy.

Created in 1969, the State Government Internship Program has provided career-oriented work experience to more than 3,300 North Carolina college and law students. Applications and internship position descriptions for the 2011 program will be available by mid-November at http://www.doa.nc.gov/yaio/interns.htm. The application deadline is January and selected interns will be notified in March.

This summer’s 40th cohort of State Government Interns is enjoying its third week on the job in state offices from Manteo to Morganton. They are gaining real-world, hands-on job experience – an important resume-builder in the increasingly competitive job market.

Amazingly, however, some of these interns never bother to update their resumes at the end of their 10-week stay. That’s because they proved to be so valuable that they were asked to stay on by the agency that first promised nothing more than a temporary summer internship.

Dozens of state employees, including such high-profile folks as Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, began their public service career as a State Government Intern. A few former interns at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) have gone on to permanent, meaningful positions.

Paul Jones, a fulltime NCDA&CS employee, interned for the State Fair in 2009, blogging under the pen name “Bearded Lady” on the Fair’s Deep Fried Blog and contributing to the annual fall event’s overall social media efforts.

A connection former State Government Intern Natalie Alford made through her 2004 summer internship led to a part-time fall job with the State Fair. Now she serves as the Public Information Officer for the State Fair, and works closely with the Fair’s current intern on projects.

“We always feel fortunate to get an intern, and we always try to do right by them in helping build valuable work experience and portfolio pieces,” said NCDA&CS’ Andrea Ashby, who supervises the State Fair summer intern. “I like to think that their willingness to return and work with us after the internship speaks well for how well we integrate them into our office environment.”

Cynthia Giles works hard every year to ensure that Youth Legislative Assembly is a youth-focused event that meets students’ needs and helps to develop their leadership skills. But these bright, appreciative kids turned the tables on her this year.

During the Awards Banquet, an annual highlight in which outstanding delegates and the YLA Leadership Team are recognized, the Tri-Speakers took control of the program and surprised Cynthia with an Appreciation Award. Presented on behalf of all YLA participants, they said it recognized both her personal commitment and the program’s 40th anniversary. They also credited her year-round dedication as a mentor.

After receiving the tribute, a beautiful wooden plaque embossed with the 40th anniversary logo, the very surprised program director hugged each of the presenters and told the group how much their thoughtfulness meant to her.

We praise Cynthia’s efforts every year, too, but this acknowledgement truly has special meaning. It’s symbolic not only of her accomplishments, but also how her efforts contribute to the maturity and success of the youth she works so hard to serve.

Cynthia Giles (middle) joined by YLA Tri-Speakers Precious Powell of Durham (left) and Aanya Udyavar of Fayetteville.

One lesson children learn early is that if they combine their toys, they have the potential to have more fun.

The same can be said when child advocates pool their abilities: Combining skills and resources, especially during difficult economic times, we can generate more positive outcomes for North Carolina’s at-risk youth.

As Assistant Director at the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office, that was a message I shared with viewers of OPEN/net, the live call-in program that addresses government issues. Joined by Tom Vitaglione of Action for Children of North Carolina and Rob Thompson of Covenant for North Carolina’s Children, we responded to questions and concerns about how to engage youth in mentoring or leadership roles, access to healthcare and how to motivate adults to take an active role with at-risk youth in their community.

I hope that families, advocates and policymakers saw the benefits of applying different perspectives to aiding our youth, and how well we work together. We strive to complement each other’s strengths and to fill any limitation that any one entity might have due to its role and structure.

My colleagues and I firmly believe that it’s more important than ever for advocates to remain steadfast and focused to make sure the North Carolina’s vulnerable families are not forgotten. Their needs are at the forefront of our minds, and we remain dedicated to advocating for the best interests of North Carolina children and their families.

If you would like to help at-risk youth through mentoring, please visit the N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.