Youth Voices Changing Public Policy

 YVCPP is a key part of the Michigan's Children's strategy to advocate for better policies and programs.  The YVCPP program, offered since 2007 with the support of the C.S. Mott Foundation, includes a forum, a site visit and an accompanying Focus on Michigan's Communities publication highlighting the featured program. 

These forums help communities bring elected officials and other community leaders to community settings where policymakers can experience first-hand a program and issue facing young people by spending time talking directly with them, and visiting the programs that serve them.  During these conversations, policymakers and community leaders hear from and talk directly with a small number of young people, some of whom have been in the foster care system, juvenile justice system, or are parenting teens.  Many of the youths have at some point been at risk of dropping out of school or have dropped out of school.

The conversations put a real face to the dropout crisis, and they help to lay the foundation for a state-level policy agenda aimed at increasing Michigan's high school graduation rate, secondary school enrollment and employability of Michigan's youths.  By featuring youths from programs that are helping them reengage in the educational system, the forums also help to highlight some best practices that can be emulated in other communities.

Michigan's Children works with partners all over the state to host YVCPP events.  Counties that have hosted events are represented below. 

 Ingham

Jackson

Kalamazoo 

Kent

Macomb

Muskegon

Oakland

Washtenaw

Wayne

If you are interested in exploring the possibility of hosting an event in your community, contact Michele Corey.

See footage of these YVCPP events on the Michigan's Children channel on You Tube!