How to Start a Youth Program

Anyone hoping to increase the participation among young people in government and politics should first know their audience and why they are important, frequent mistakes to avoid, and issues important to them.

From there its all about programing. The number one way to engage young voters is in a way that is non-traditional. No network TV buys, no candidate forums where people are standing at podiums, no partisans showing up at their doors talking about voting and registering.

The best way to get young people is to be different and engaging. Here are some places to begin:

• Build a voter file with Facebook
• Buy Cable when advertising on TV
• Engage the Blogs
• Leverage Social Networks
• Have Parties at the Polls
• GOTV Young people
• Trick or Vote
• Candidates Gone Wild - hold candidate forums specifically for young people

These resources are only the beginning. For organizations and candidates consider hiring an internet director, or a field staffer that handles young voters. The key is to invest in the solutions, trying to implement a few of these now, and a few as years go on is a safe bet for those who can't afford it, but the outcomes will reflect the lack of a full investment.

The best way to handle these problems is to build partnerships. With registration drives by the NAACP, the League of Women Voters, not to mention HeadCount, and Rock the Vote, you can spread responsibility around in a kind of coordinated effort for the greater good. In the end, it saves money, it builds your electoral pool, it builds collective action, and the results are your desired effect.

In the end, the only way to lose is to ignore. Ignoring young voters is a sure way to guarantee that they won't turn out.