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Examples: City, County & Special District Models
Youth-Civic Engagement and Work-Based Learning Examples, Descriptions, Key Resources and Links

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This toolkit is designed to help you start your own unique youth-civic engagement program that fits your community’s needs. The timing, duration and intensity of Governments Engaging Youth (GEY) programs depend on your organization’s capacity, and what works best for your community. GEY can be a one-day field trip to the municipal entity, a six-week summer program, school-day/classroom-based action civics projects, public service high school career academy experience or civic engagement in an after-school program format.

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Special Districts Preparing the Next Generation of Local Leaders

Special Districts Preparing the Next Generation of Local Leaders
Utilities, Ports and Conservation Districts Share Impact with CSDA

Three California special districts share their experiences of preparing young people for civic life and careers in this special webinar recorded for the California Special Districts Association.

Highlights

Agency staff and school partners work together so that youth have the opportunity to: 

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ILG’s Workforce & Civic Education Pillar
Empowering Youth Through Civic Education

ILG’s Workforce and Civic Education pillar supports local governments with public sector career pathway development. In 2022, ILG launched the Summer Jobs and Ambassadors in Motion (Summer JAM) program that combined local government civics education curriculum with public sector career pathways exploration. Students participated via in-person and virtual sessions where they learned they learned different forms and functions of local government, how to be civically engaged in their communities, and how to pursue a public sector career.

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Flyer for Rancho Cordova Summer at City Hall

Rancho Cordova
Summer at City Hall

City of Rancho Cordova Summer at City Hall (S@CH) program combines classroom instruction with internships to teach youth about local government, careers in local government and how to advocate for community change. S@CH is a collaboration between the City of Rancho Cordova (City) and PRO Youth and Families (PRO) – a nonprofit organization that provides meaningful and life-changing opportunities for young people – with strong partnership from the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD).

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Ventura County Civic Alliance

Ventura County Civic Alliance
Civics Education & Work-Based Learning Experiences in the Cities of Oxnard and Camarillo and the County of Ventura

Ventura County Civic Alliance and its partners have four goals in developing their Summer at City Hall experiences:

  • Create a high school to career pipeline to ensure a more diverse and prepared public sector workforce.
  • Expand Youth Civic Engagement opportunities including community leadership, volunteerism, advocacy, activism, voting and philanthropy.
  • Increase youth knowledge of how local government operates.
  • Strengthen intergenerational relationships and improve adult knowledge of youth and youth issues/concerns.
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West Sacramento: Steps Towards Entering Public Service

West Sacramento: Steps Towards Entering Public Service
Civic Education & Work-Based Learning Experiences for Local Youth

The City of West Sacramento’s Summer STEPS student summer internship program provides students with practical work experience. The program provides West Sacramento the opportunity to invest in its future workforce and demonstrate how students can have the career they want in local government while serving their community.

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Yolo County
Human Resource Department Leads Youth in Career Exploration

The Yolo County Human Resources Office facilitated the High School Summer Intern Program for five years beginning in June 2008.  The High School Summer Intern Program was an eight week program open to Yolo County high school students ages 15 to 19.  Students volunteered a minimum of five (5) hours per week in a department assignment that matched their future career and college goals.  Students also attended weekly activities that were designed to introduce students to county government, the services it provides, and the benefits of public sector employment.  Students rec

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Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Work-Based Learning Experience in a Public Agency

Sacramento Municipal Utility District provides an array of opportunities for high school youth to learn about careers and explore the special district’s operations.

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Oakland Public Works Department
High School Internship Program

The city of Oakland’s engineering intern program is designed to provide students the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience in a working engineering environment, as well as learn how to work cooperatively with others on a team and in a professional work setting. 

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Sacramento County District Attorney Youth Academy
Youth Actively Learn About Criminal Justice

The Office of the Sacramento County District Attorney hosts a youth academy annually for youth in Sacramento. The academy is done in partnership with additional law enforcement partners, including the:

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Additional California Program Examples
Programs & Organizations Dedicated to Civic Education/Engagement

This section provides information about different organizations, programs and curriculum used in increasing California youth civic education and engagement experiences.

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