Engaging Young Adults in Voting Positions

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Extension CouncilYouth Leadership(ECYL)Topic 5

• Engaging Young Adults in Voting Positions

Produced by the Council Leadership Development
Committee ? Missouri Council Leadership
Development - a partnership of the Missouri
Extension County Council Leadership Council
and University of Missouri Extension (c) 2007
University of Missouri Board of Curators. Updated
October 2011. University of Missouri Extension
does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation,
religion, age, disability, or status as a
Vietnam-era veteran in employment or program.
Funding for this project was made possible by a
grant from the Surdna Foundation and the National
4-H Council.
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Extension CouncilYouth Leadership(ECYL)Topic 5

• Learning
• Objectives
• Understand young adult motivations to serve on
  council.
• Identify barriers that prevent young adults from
  running for council.
• Relate what councils have learned from current
  young adults members.
• Name strategies for locating and inviting young
  adults to run for council.
• Develop strategies to support young adults in a
  successful election campaign.

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Why Are Young Adults Motivated to Serve on a
County Extension Council?
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What are Reasons More YoungAdults Do Not Run
for Elected Council Positions?
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Trends Affecting Young Adults

• Living at home longer/moving back
• Spending longer in school
• Marrying and having children later
• Changing jobs more frequently
• Rising housing costs
• Different spending patterns
• More debt
• Getting news and information in new ways
• Excerpt from Network on Transitions to Adulthood.
  (2006). http//www.transad.pop.upenn.edu/

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Where Can Qualified Young Adults Be Found in Your
Community?
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What Can Councils Do to Increase Young Adult
Interest in Running?
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Reaching Young Adult Audiences

1. Review the Intergenerational Outreach handout
   info for Gen Y Gen Z groups.
2. Brainstorm what talking point councils could use
   when recruiting younger generations.
3. List some ways councils could reach more young
   adults

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Engaging Young Adults inVoting Positions

• Action Step
• Choose 1-3 strategies your council will work on
  to improve outreach to the young adult
  population.
• Make a list of young adults in the community who
  would make good council members.
• Identify at least one council member to mentor
  prospective/new young adult members.

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Extension Council Youth Leadership (ECYL)

• County Extension Council Training Module

Produced by the Council Leadership Development
Committee ? a partnership of the Missouri
Extension County Council Leadership Council and
University of Missouri Extensionhttp//extension.
missouri.edu/extcouncil/training/ Funding for
this project was made possible by a grant from
the Surdna Foundation and the National 4-H
Council.