Info Sessions on Boston Youth PB

We’re excited to announce two info sessions for groups interested in helping to organize Boston’s Youth PB process, on December 9th and 10th. See below for the official invitation!

Invitation to Information Session on Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee

Dear Youth and Youth Advocates,

I’m writing to invite you to an info session to learn how you can play a key role in an exciting new experiment in democracy. In January 2014, the City of Boston will launch a groundbreaking participatory budgeting (PB) process which will engage Boston youth in directly deciding how to spend $1 million of the city’s capital budget. Through participatory budgeting, young Bostonians will identify projects to improve their communities, vet those projects, consider trade-offs, and vote on how to spend the $1 million.

As Mayor Menino recently announced, the process will be a collaboration between the Mayor’s Youth Council, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, and the non-profit organization The Participatory Budgeting Project (PBP). From January through July, young residents, community-based organizations and youth advocates will come together in a Steering Committee to design and help oversee the PB process. The Mayor’s Youth Council will hold two information sessions for those that are interested in joining the Steering Committee and learning more about PB Boston:

Monday, December 9th, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Tobin Community Center, 2nd floor conference room, 1481 Tremont Street, Mission Hill, MA 02120
Tuesday, December 10th, 5:45-7:45 p.m. at Boston City Hall, Room 801 (Please enter City Hall through Congress Street entrance)

The Steering Committee will meet 6-8 times between January 2014 and July 2014. During the initial meetings, the Steering Committee members will establish the rules and structure for PB Boston. During each subsequent phase of the process, the Steering Committee will be responsible for making key decisions about issues that arise.

Those who would like to learn more about the Steering Committee and PB Boston should attend an info session. If you plan to attend, please RSVP
via this link.

In addition, a search is underway for a youth organizer who will be responsible for engaging young Bostonians in the process and working closely with both PBP and City of Boston staff. Please see the job ad here and spread the word about this position to your networks!

Looking forward to seeing you at one of the info sessions! Please be sure to RSVP here, if you plan to attend! If you have any questions, please contact me at shari.davis@boston.gov.

Best regards,

Shari Davis
Executive Director
Boston Youth Fund

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More info:

Videos
PB Intro: Real Money, Real Power: Participatory Budgeting (Spanish version here)
Bill Moyers Show: Direct Democracy Comes to Harlem

Articles
New York Times: “Putting in their two cents”
New York Times: “The Voters Speak: Yes to Bathrooms“

Websites
The Participatory Budgeting Project: www.participatorybudgeting.org

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Boston, For Implementors, For Participants, Process News, youth