City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: STUDY SESSION
Lead Department: Community Services
Meeting Date: March 17, 2025
Report #:2411-3757
TITLE
Study Session with Palo Alto Youth Council
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council provide feedback to the Palo Alto Youth Council on their accomplishments and goals.
BACKGROUND
The Palo Alto Youth Council (PAYC) provides an opportunity for high school students to take an active leadership role in the community. PAYC’s mission is to “foster communications and connections between teens and the Palo Alto community.” To achieve this, PAYC is actively engaged in the community and identifies and addresses the key concerns that teenagers face while also serving as youth ambassadors to the City Council.
Previous programs and events organized by PAYC include, “Escaping Vaping”, College Admissions after COVID, Finals Study Cram Slam, Palopalooza, and teen surveys and community service events.
ANALYSIS
PAYC presents to the City Council their recent achievements and ongoing initiatives aimed at addressing critical youth-related issues within the community. The presentation (Attachment A) covers accomplishments from the previous academic term as well as updates on the current year, detailing the significant progress made by PAYC in fostering community engagement, mental health awareness, and leadership among Palo Alto youth.
Presentation Topics:
Accomplishments: PAYC will outline notable achievements from last term and this term, focusing on how these accomplishments align with PAYC’s mission to foster communications and connections between teens and the Palo Alto community. This will include summaries of
key projects and their impact.
Current Initiatives: PAYC will provide insights into the strategies and actions taken on ongoing initiatives, highlighting approaches to tackle pressing youth issues. These initiatives demonstrate PAYC’s commitment to creating supportive, inclusive, and resourceful spaces for teens in Palo Alto.
Event Summary: PAYC will recap significant events organized over the last two terms, with each event’s goals, turnout statistics, and community impact. Through these events, PAYC has successfully engaged a diverse group of youth and raised awareness on topics of importance to the community.
City Council Partnership: Lastly, PAYC aims to foster a collaborative relationship with the City Council. They will discuss ways in which the City Council can further support PAYC’s initiatives, providing guidance, resources, and opportunities for further youth empowerment.
This presentation emphasizes the importance of city-wide support for PAYC’s ongoing work, encouraging a strengthened partnership with the City Council to address the needs of Palo Alto’s youth. Through this collaborative effort, PAYC and the City Council can continue to make Palo Alto a safe, engaging, and supportive environment for young residents.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
No additional resources are required to support the discussion outlined in this report.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The PAYC aims to connect with Palo Alto teens through social media, events, and through school networks.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This study session is not a Project under CEQA.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Palo Alto Youth Council Accomplishments and Initiatives APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director