Youth Commission

About the Commission

The Northampton Youth Commission is the official city body dedicated to representing young people. The Youth Commission is comprised of young people ages 13-18 and works to better Northampton with youth voices and futures in mind. The Youth Commission is a group where politically minded young people organize collectively to make change. We work directly with elected leaders along with local community organizations to draft legislation and lobby for policies that benefit young people, and our community as a whole.

The Youth Commission was formed years ago when young people in Northampton mobilized to lobby the City Council to change a law they disagreed with. The law prohibited individuals from biking on sidewalks. A group of young people gave public comment at the City Council meeting, articulately advocating their position. Not only did the City Council reverse the law, but they realized the importance of youth input in municipal matters. Thus, the Northampton Youth Commission was founded.

The Youth Commission meets biweekly for an hour and a half as a full group, and commissioners can choose to join subcommittees which meet at varying intervals (usually a couple times a month), for about an hour. Additionally, commissioners often hold meetings with city officials and community members, often as part of subcommittee and lobbying work. Commitment time varies based on how many subcommittees a member takes part in as well as how much work they take on within a subcommittee. This can range from 1 to 6 hours a week.

We welcome any and everyone to come to our meetings and if they have an interest, to come to more. Community members are welcome to take part in our discussions even if they aren’t part of the group. Members can choose their level of commitment based on their level of interest and availability.

We are sometimes invited to speak at other meetings, and have held public forums in the community (including some around issues such as lowering the municipal voting age and creating space for AFAB and female-identifying voices to be heard).

Agendas & Minutes

View most recent agenda (PDF) | View all agendas and minutes

The Youth Commission meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month, from 7:00-8:30 pm in the Hearing Room at City Hall. Meetings are open to all.