Printer-friendlyProgram Overview
New Mexico First’s Tomorrow’s Leaders program engages young people in local public policy and government. We use our proven town hall model to get youth involved in the democratic process and educate them about issues facing their communities. Participants in the Tomorrow’s Leaders program research, plan, and facilitate their own youth town halls, producing recommendations for local leaders.
The Tomorrow’s Leaders program is established in rural communities throughout New Mexico. Each group is comprised of 10-20 youth. Each is led by at least one adult leader and sometimes, a youth assistant. The adult leaders are local teachers, community leaders, or business members. Where possible, the youth assistant is an alumnus of the statewide Youth Alliance program. In locations where Youth Alliance alumni are not available, the youth assistant is often a student leader from a local college.
New Mexico First provides week-by-week lesson plans and activities, preparing the participants to convene their local youth town hall. This town hall is each group’s major community activity. The events are typically held in an afternoon, and they are attended by an additional 30-50 youth from the community. In the weeks following the youth town hall, participants in the Tomorrow’s Leaders program present the recommendations from the event to fellow students as well as local officials at city council meetings, county commission meetings, or school board meetings. The youth also develop their own media press releases on the results of their town hall.
Each community also sends two youth delegates (and an adult chaperone) to New Mexico First’s annual statewide town hall. Travel, lodging, meals, and registration expenses are covered by the program. The statewide town hall is held each year on an important topic facing New Mexico. The youth delegates from the Tomorrow’s Leaders program, who by this time have conducted their own local town halls, are well prepared to participate on equal footing with adults. Furthermore, they bring important youth perspectives to the deliberations.