In 1973, Mayor Tom Bradley initiated the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board. The board grappled with the issues confronting the city’s youth and instilled within its members a sense of civic responsibility and community activism. Alumni of this board include Los Angles City Council Members Ed Reyes, Wendy Greuel, and Tom LaBonge, and California State Assembly Member Mark Ridley-Thomas.
In 1993, upon the inauguration of Mayor Richard Riordan, the Youth Council was transferred to the newly created Commission for Children, Youth and Their Families (CCYF). CCYF’s vision is to ensure "every Los Angeles child should reach adulthood having experienced a safe, healthy and nurturing childhood which prepares him or her to become a responsible and contributing member of the community." Renamed the Los Angeles Youth Council, CCYF revived its operations in 1996.
The Los Angeles Youth Council (LAYC) is a voluntary group of young people between the ages of 14 and 19 years old. Among this group are two youth who represent each of the fifteen City Council Districts, an Appointed Member and Elected Council District Member. The Appointed member is appointed by his or her City Council Member, whereas the Elected Council District Member is elected by the LAYC Chapters (LAYCC) within his or her district. One Youth Council member, who is at least eighteen years of age, is appointed to a seat on the Commission and serves as a voting representative of youth interest. A citywide Executive Board and the Youth Commissioner provide leadership and support to youth members.
All members of LAYC and LAYCC serve as advocates of the City’s youth by promoting existing City sponsored programs, identifying the need for new programs and activities and by securing the involvement of young people into the City’s governmental processes. As the representative of young people in the City and the link between them and City officials, LAYC and LAYCC members have the opportunity and responsibility to bring forth youth needs and the City's response to those needs.
LAYC and LAYCC serve as a leadership, youth development, and community empowerment opportunity for their members as well as other youth in the city. Members are engaged in a variety of activities from community development to developing policy recommendations about key issues that affect the youth of Los Angeles.
Each year, members of the LAYC and LAYCC come together at an annual summit to determine the issues most affecting youth in Los Angeles. One issue is selected to be the theme for the upcoming school year. LAYC and its Chapters will organize events, projects and presentations around this theme. In addition, Chapters will continue to organize community building activities to engage youth in their districts.
LAYC accomplishments include:
* Cable television program (1999)
* Youth-led initiative on Charter Reform (2000-2001)
* Biannual conferences on:
- Crime prevention (1996)
- Communication (1998)
- Education (2000)
* Mayor's Council of Education Advisors (2005)
* L.A. Youth Policy Forums (2005-2006)
* L.A. Corporate Volunteer Council (2006)
* Youth Action Summit on Education (2007)
* Meeting with Mayor Villaraigosa re: Youth Budgetary
Priorities (2008)
LAYC Members have advocated on behalf of youth including:
* A statewide initiative on teen pregnancy prevention (2000)
* Annual conferences of the National League of Cities (1998, 2000)
* Children's Defense Fund Annual Conference (1998)
* Democratic National Convention held in Los Angeles (2001)
* Community Budget Day (2006, 2007)
* Congress of Neighborhoods (2007)
LAYC Members volunteer in support of community events:
* L.A. Public Library's L.A. Kids READ Festival
* KTLA Kids Day LA
* AIDS Walk L.A.
* Feria del Libro
* L.A. Marathon
* Watt’s Child Health and Safety Fair
* Dreaming Our Future Youth Conference
* Youth Action Summit of California
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