The Governor’s office is currently accepting applications for the Statewide Youth Council, according to Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge. The Youth Council was established to encourage the Commonwealth’s young people to get involved in their communities and participate in planning and problem solving through leadership roles.

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Op-Ed: Keep the public involved, Patrick

Governor-elect Deval Patrick deserves commendation for making civic engagement a centerpiece of his candidacy -- and for practicing what he preaches by convening 15 working groups that organized public hearings on critical issues during his transition.

The hearings were hastily organized, often rudderless affairs, but thousands took advantage of that opportunity and the transition team's website to weigh in on matters of importance to them. Nothing like this had ever been attempted before. It was a bold gesture and a constructive exercise toward true participatory democracy.

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League of Women Voters releases second edition of their Directory of Civic Engagement & Leadership Development Programs for Massachusetts Youth

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts has announced the publication of the second edition of their Directory of Civic Engagement & Leadership Development Programs for Massachusetts Youth.

This year the League has sent copies of the Directory to every school and library in the Commonwealth. The future of our democracy depends on the civic engagement and participation of our youth. We must invest our energies to get more young people active in their community, believe in their ability to make a difference, and assume the responsibilities of democratic citizenship.

The programs listed in this directory greatly expand young people's choices for learning about the electoral and political processes, leadership, and community activism. Many of the programs listed in this directory could be used as models for other communities or for youth groups that are looking for ways to involve young people in civic education and to encourage citizen participation in government.