To empower Native American and Indigenous youth to be leaders and advocates in education, culture, and community development.
Indigenous youth are respected leaders, shaping education policy and initiatives grounded in cultural identity, sovereignty, and self-determination.
The Youth Leadership Council advises the Ventura County Indian Education Consortium Parent Advisory Council to give youth voice to all matters considered by the VCIEC Parent Advisory Council. The Youth Leadership Council is a two-way communication conduit.
The Ventura County Indian Education Consortium is a Title VI federally funded program, with additional financial support from our partner districts, providing direct services to American Indian and Alaskan Native students in grades TK-12 in Ventura County School Districts and Charter Schools.
The Youth Leadership Council is inclusive and welcoming to all. All American Indian and Alaskan Native youth of all tribal affiliation, degree of Native ancestry (blood quantum), and enrollment status—are encouraged to participate fully in all Youth Leadership Council activities. Youth are encouraged to actively participate in discussion, share needs, express concerns, provide ideas and vote. Elders and Cultural Advisors are welcome and encouraged to share their wisdom with the youth. Non-indigenous community members are also welcome to provide encouragement and support to the YLC.
The core activity and purpose of the VCIEC YLC is to give voice to the needs and ideas of all youth served by the VCIEC. As such, YLC members will listen, collect, and share this information with the VCIEC Parent Advisory Committee. YLC members will also serve as two-way communication conduits, sharing information from the VCIEC out to all youth.
YLC activities will be based on the needs, concerns, passions, talents, and interests of the youth represented by the VCIEC Youth Leadership Council. For example, the YLC may offer to create graphic designs and manage social media marketing campaigns to distribute information regarding VCIEC programming or educational materials regarding cultural heritage and traditions.
Meetings will be accessible remotely to accommodate youth’s busy schedules and the large geographic region that the YLC serves. Meetings can also be held in-person, and will include a remote option.
Meetings will be held between Parent Committee meetings. This will allow the youth to discuss and provide input that will be shared with the Parent Committee prior to the Parent Committee voting on decision items. This will also allow the opportunity for the information from the Parent Committee meeting to be shared with the YLC and to be communicated out to all youth served by the VCIEC.
All youth represented by the VCIEC are welcome members of the Youth Leadership Council and are encouraged to vote.
The Youth Leadership Council will utilize the VCIEC Parent Advisory Committee’s Guiding Principles initially. The YLC can choose to discuss and adopt its own set of Guiding Principles for presentation and concurrence by the Parent Advisory Committee.