Welcome to Youth in Government
A note from the State Director
Welcome to the 47th year of the YMCA of Delaware’s Youth in Government Program! Our program is designed to introduce youth to the ins and outs of state government and the appellate judicial system, while providing them with an opportunity to actively debate issues of state importance, meet new friends, and find the power of one’s voice. Delegates will actively participate in public speaking and coalition building. The program promotes leadership through character development, while introducing teens to a vast array of ideas.
The Advisor is critical to the experience each young person has while being part of Youth in Government. The caliber of the YMCA of Delaware Youth in Government program is built upon the quality of work and preparation performed by the individual student prior to attending the Youth Model Legislative Conference.
This Advisor Manual and the Delegate Manual have been designed to help provide an excellent learning situation for your delegates so that they may participate to the fullest extent of their abilities. Adequate preparation will ensure that the delegates will be able to fully enjoy the experience and the full benefits of Youth in Government.
It is my pleasure to draw your attention to some new roles, awards and opportunities in 2014. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If you have any questions, please email or call. I look forward to working with each of you in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Nicole Freedman
State Director, Youth in Government
YMCA Resource Center of Delaware
501 W. 11th St.
Wilmington, DE 19801
302.254.9622 ext. 161
www.yigde.org
Table of Contents
2015 Calendar of Events P. 3
YIG Overview p. 4
How and when to get started p. 8
State Director support p. 9
Role of the Branch Liaison p. 10
Role of the Volunteer Advisor p. 12
Advising 101 p. 17
a. Recruiting
b. Delegation meetings
c. Parental involvement
Suggested Agendas for Delegation Meetings p. 24
Parliamentary Procedure p. 28
Finances p. 35
YMCA Character Values p. 37
James C. Hardcastle Nomination Form p. 38
Calendar of Events – 2015
January 2015
Delegation meetings should begin no later than first week of January
Judicial case information released January 1st.
Week of Jan. 18th -$50.00 deposit due to Advisor or Scholarship application submitted (Delegate manual will not be provided without deposit or scholarship application)
Week of February 1st, 2015 - The following items are due to the State Director on or before Feb. 8thth:
· Registration Form (including one sentence bill topic for Legislators, organization selection for Lobbyists, name of team member for Judicial or area of focus for Press.)
· Authorization Form
· Code of Conduct Form
· Miscellaneous forms & T-Shirt Designs
· Scholarship Form
· Leadership Applications
o Speaker of House, Speaker of Commoners, President of Senate, Clerk of the House, Clerk of the Commoners, Secretary of the Senate, Associate Justices, Chief Lobbyist, Editor in Chief
February 22th, 2015
· 1st draft of Briefs from Attorneys due via Google Docs (link emailed to you and advisor once registration form is received by State Director)
· 1st draft of Bills due via online bill submission site linked www.yigde.org (from Middle and High School Legislative Delegates)
· Organizational Profile Paper Draft emailed to State Director with delegation advisor cc’d on email
· James C. Hardcastle Nomination Due from Advisor emailed to State Director
· Candidate Nomination Forms Due (2016 Youth Governor, 2016 Chief Justice
March 7th, 2015 Pre-Legislative, Pre-Judicial and Elections Conference
9:30AM-3:00PM , Legislative Hall in Dover
March 14th, 2015
The following items are due to the State Director on or before March 14th:
· Hotel Rooming List (Quads for youth, Doubles for adults)
· Remaining program fee to be paid in full!
(Delegations will be charge for all persons registered by March 14th, 2015!)
March 21th, 2015 Final Versions of Bills, Briefs and Organizational Profile Paper Due
March 28th, 2015 Mandatory Leader Training, For Elected and Appointed positions
location and time, TBD
April 9th, 2015 Governor’s Leadership Retreat For Elected and Appointed positions
Governor’s Guest House, Dover, DE (overnight)
Apirl 10, 11, 12th , 2015 Model Legislative and Judicial Conferences
Legislative Hall, Kent County Court House and Hilton, Dover, DE
Overview
“Democracy Must Be Learned By Each Generation”
YMCA Youth in Government (YIG) is a national teen leadership program, which involves thousands of teens nationwide in state organized model government programs. YIG was established in 1936 by the YMCA of the USA, the Delaware YIG program began in 1969. Thirty-eight states host a YIG program with over 53,000 teens participating nationwide
Several months each year, teens meet in their local delegations (groups) to discuss and debate issues that affect citizens of Delaware. At these delegation meetings, teens create and write proposed legislation to address those issues, learn about the democratic system and are trained in parliamentary procedure, bill development, the legislative committee process, debate, and also, judicial delegates will learn about giving oral arguments, writing briefs and the appellate court system and more. The program culminates with the teen participants serving as delegates or attorneys, lobbyists and press at the 3-day model Legislative Conference and Judicial Competition held annually at Legislative Hall and The Kent County Court House in Dover. Delegates learn by doing, and have the opportunity to try their hand at leadership in an open and receptive learning environment.
GOAL of YIG
Develop life-long responsible citizenship in young men and women by being both knowledgeable and active in determining the future of our democracy.
OBJECTIVES
· To provide training and experience in understanding the legislative process
· To develop critical thinking and analytical abilities
· To provide hands-on, active participation in the legislative process
· To develop interpersonal communication skills
· To provide awareness of social issues and their possible solutions
· To provide opportunities to hear and respect varying viewpoints
· To encourage active participation in political and public affairs
SERVICES
1. Leadership experience
2. Public speaking and critical writing workshops
3. Community activism and applying participation in the political process
4. Academic enhancement through the development of research and reading/writing skills
PROGRAMS
There is one major program currently being offered by the YMCA of Delaware Youth in Government and two national programs for those who excel at the local level. They are:
1. The Youth Model General Assembly and Judicial Competition– a four month 3 day hands-on learning experience for participating high school school and middle school youth throughout Delaware, modeling Delaware’s executive and legislative and judicial government practicesbranches of government. Weekly delegation meetings and two statewide conferences make up this program: Pre-Legislative Conference and the 3-day Youth Model Legislative Conference.
a. March 7th1st, 2014: Pre-Legislative and Pre-Judicial Training and Elections Conference - All youth and adults who plan to attend the YMCA of Delaware Youth in Government Youth Model General Assembly in Dover must attend this conference. Bill Sharing Committees are held for the purpose of improving bills, officers are elected, and delegates are trained in their specific roles.
b. March 28th, 29th, 30th, 2014: Model Legislative and Judicial Conferences - All delegates, advisors and staff travel to Dover to participate in this culminating 3-day youth led, hands-on experience that encompasses many aspects of state government. Delegates are privileged to use the state legislative chambers and meeting rooms as well as the Governor’s office and Kent County Court House
2. The YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs (CONA) – a national conference dealing with national and international affairs. Twelve delegates are elected during the Youth Model General Assembly to represent Delaware.
a. July, 20154 (TBD): CONA - The pinnacle of success for any Youth in Government legislative, lobbyist or press delegate is to be named as a representative for their state to attend the YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs (CONA) in Black Mountain, North Carolina. This annual conference offers the unusual opportunity to do research in an area of national or international concern, organize this information in a documented proposal and then engage in debating proposals with other outstanding young people from other states. Delaware sends 12 young people to this conference each year.
3. The YMCA National Judicial Competition (NJC)– a national competition for Mock Trial and Appellate teams. Six delegates from the judicial branch are elected during the Youth Model General Assembly to represent Delaware.
a. August, 20154 (TBD): NJC - The pinnacle of success for any Youth in Government Attorney or Justice is to be named as a representative for their state to attend the YMCA National Judicial Competition in Chicago, IL. This conference offers the unusual opportunity compete in an appellate or mock trial team against other outstanding young people from across the nation. YMCA of Delaware is committed to sending 6 young people to this conference each year.
DELAWARE MODEL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Since its inception in 1969, the YMCA of Delaware Model General Assembly program has served youth in grades 7-12 in a quality experiential and educational simulation of Delaware’s State government. Youth in Government uses a variety of activities to build, encourage, and strengthen those life assets and character traits that will help high school youth become involved, responsible adults. The program is very comprehensive, and its impact on the youth participants is dramatic. The core purpose of this highly regarded national program is exemplified in the program’s motto, “Democracy Must Be Learned by Each Generation.”
The Delaware’s Model General Assembly begins each January when young people from across the state meet in groups as individual delegations with two common goals: 1. to discuss issues facing Delaware, 2. to discuss ways to implement their solutions through the legislative process. During a four-month period, the teen participants (called delegates) write bills, select governmental positions to role-play, attend a statewide training conference, and run for various elected offices. The program reaches its peak in Dover at the State Capitol with the convening of the three-day Youth Model Legislature in April. There, real government moves over and the teen delegates “take over.” Many leadership opportunities exist for interested delegates. The possibilities for discovery are virtually limitless.
The basic principle of the Youth Model Legislature is to bring each delegate’s bill through the legislative process toward enactment into law. To do this, the bill must be ranked in committee, pass the Senate and House, and be signed by the Youth Governor. Of course, the bill can be defeated anywhere along the way.
DELAWARE JUDICIAL COMPEITION
The basic principle of the Judicial Competition is to emphasize student involvement in the judicial process of Delaware. Engage delegate attorneys in two a appellate mock cases modeled after actual court cases, research the cases, and prepare legal arguments in an attempt to sway the youth justices. Delegate attorneys will also debate constitutionality of YIG legislation.
While the primary goal of Youth in Government is the promotion of responsible citizenship, youth come away with much more than a greater knowledge of the inner workings of government. Participants sharpen their leadership skills and improve their problem solving and critical thinking abilities while they become more adept at debate and public speaking.
Very few people have experienced the thrill of making a speech in the Delaware Senate or House of Representatives or litigating in the Kent County Court House. Students’ self-esteem is improved as they learn that their ideas do matter and that they can make a difference in their world.
There, real government moves over and the teen delegates “take over.” Many leadership opportunities exist for interested delegates. The possibilities for discovery are virtually limitless.
OPTIONS FOR PARTICIPATION
BASIC DELEGATE QUALIFICATIONS
Everyone participating in the YMCA of Delaware Youth in Government program is expected to support the following standards as conditions for participation. The Youth in Government State Director reserves the right to disqualify anyone who does not appear to have the necessary attitude or qualifications.
1. Delegates are to be member of grades 7-12.
2. Delegates are to be affiliated with one of the Youth in Government certified local sponsoring units.
3. To participate in the Model Legislative Conference, delegates must submit mandatory paperwork by deadlines.
4. Delegates must abide by all Code of Conduct rules.
The list below is intended to provide a general picture of the various assignments available to delegates. More detailed descriptions for each position are provided in subsequent sections of the Delegate Manual. For example to find out more about serving as a Senator, reference the Legislative section of the manual.
List of Participation Options:
Executive Branch
Youth Governor
Chief of Staff
Cabinet Member
Legislative Branch
President of the Senate
Secretary of the Senate
Senator
Speaker of the House
Chief Clerk of the House
Representative
Speaker of the House of Commons
Secretary of the House of Commons
Commoners
Judicial Branch
Chief Justice
Senior JusticeAssociate Justice
Associate Attorney Justice
Attorney
Lobbyist
Press Corp
Editor-in-Chief
Layout Editor
Copy Editor
Journalist
Photo Journalist
Press Liaison
Page
Youth Delegation Leader
How and when to get started in the Model Legislature
The following information is intended to aid advisors in developing and conducting a program to prepare their delegation for the Model Legislature. It includes potential meeting dates, outlines, agendas, and materials. Of course, these materials, dates, etc. should be adapted to fit the needs of the local delegation.
Delegations meet individually, with advisors planning a meeting each week until April. This helps the delegates keep in touch with the program, provides opportunities for training, fundraising, socializing, and sustains the delegation’s momentum. Advisors should read and understand all suggested material before the meetings.
Suggested agendas for each meeting can be found in the Delegation Information section. Each delegation should determine which night and time is best for all participants when creating a meeting schedule.