The Mayor's Youth Leadership Council

The Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council (MYLC), in partnership with the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and other City agencies, engages high school youth between the ages of 14–21 in 10 neighborhood-based Youth Leadership Council (Hubs) and a Citywide Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council. MYLC youth engage in community and policy issues of citywide importance and express their voice to policy leaders.

With training and support from adults, youth develop leadership skills through implementation of community projects and public policy presentations. The MYLC Hubs are a critical component of the initiative and allow existing youth councils to have a voice in their community and Citywide. The 20 MYLC high school youth and Hubs work toward identifying a policy issue of citywide importance, creating an action plan to address this issue, and delivering a formal presentation of the plan to City Hall officials as a capstone event. Youth also have the opportunity to interview high-level public officials, learn how policy is made in NYC, and develop leadership skills through a series of community projects, presentations, and public speaking opportunities in order to advance their change agenda.