Delegation Resource Manual: YMCA PA Youth & Government 101
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YMCA PA Youth & Government Program
Supreme Court Justices learn case law and Judicial Processes in order hear oral arguments
from teams of Attorneys and rule on the merits.
Lobbyists are trained in the process of influencing legislation for the purpose of
representing their assigned constituents.
Press Corps keep a careful eye the proceedings by publishing newspapers daily.
It is possible to describe in four broad categories the ways in which Youth & Government educates
its participants. First, students learn core skills that they can apply to other parts of their lives: they
learn to conduct research, build organizational leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving
skills, improve their command of language, and learn to better speak, debate, negotiate, compromise,
persuade, and listen to others. Second, by discussing real world issues, students learn to think
(analytically) about these issues as well as about state politics. Third, by having to think of the
viewpoints of others, students learn about other viewpoints, policy ideas and concerns, and research
and debate.
The fourth and most important thing Youth & Government does, because the first three sets of
skills are achievable by many other ways, is force students to look into another person’s eyes, listen
to their concerns, understand their differences, and learn how to still lead through compromise. In
many ways, Youth & Government prepares individual participants for life through the development
of all of these skills, while providing society more knowledgeable, open-minded, and civic-focused
individuals who care about others.
The YMCA Difference
There are many notable youth leadership programs across the country; however the YMCA Youth
& Government program is distinctly different. Our program is designed to not only provide a
challenging academic experience but to guide students in personal development. All activities
address at least one of the four goals of YMCA teen leadership programs: leadership training,
personal growth, service to others, and social development. The program is framed on
the four core values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility. These values create a culture
that is both academically engaging and ensures that students leave our program with the
understanding of the interpersonal skills that are necessary to succeed in their future endeavors.
While it is not easy to measure the impact that YMCA Youth & Government has had upon the
hundreds of teenagers involved annually, there is reason to believe it is significant. Countless
numbers have pointed to Y&G as a turning point in their career exploration of such fields as
politics, law, education, and social services. For others, the experience confirmed their career plans
and enabled them to continue studies with increased interest and confidence. A recent study found
that Y&G graduates are 30% - 60% more likely to report involvement in civic affairs than the
general population (1046 Alumni from 1977-2001 conducted by Indiana University/Purdue
University – Indianapolis (IUPUI)). The evidence was overwhelming that our Alumni are more
highly engaged citizens.
Beyond their value to the teen participants, Youth & Government sessions have influenced the real
legislative process as well. Dozens of bills passed by Pennsylvania youth legislators have
subsequently been passed into law by adult legislators with relatively little change to their content
