Youth Voice, Youth Vote PB (YV² PB)
Uplifting Youth Voices in Participatory Budgeting
Process phases
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1? - ?
Launch & Steering Committee
Youth Voice, Youth Vote Participatory Budgeting (YV² PB) -- Oregon’s first participatory budgeting process
- Activates people’s power over real money in a structured process that redistributes power and resources to benefit under-represented and under-resourced populations
- Foster and support youth civic leadership and public health
- Young people identify community-driven COVID-19 relief and recovery projects funded by $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds (External link)
- Carry out participatory budgeting for ARPA funds committed by State Legislators Kayse Jama, Chris Gorsek, and Ricki Ruiz
- Partner with organizations to engage at least 5,000 youth in Senate Districts 24 and 25 in East Multnomah and North Clackamas Counties
- Work toward a second cycle to follow this initial effort could allocate additional public funds within a similar project area in 2023 and 2024.
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210/15/2022 - 01/31/2023
Idea Collection
Idea Collection is the phase of participatory budgeting where eligible participants brainstorm ideas about what they want to see in their community. Eligible youth can do this through attending in-person Idea Collection assemblies or online using this platform.
Eligibility criteria and guidelines for submitting ideas:
- 13-25 years old
- Live, play, pray or go to school within Oregon Senate District 24 or 25 in the last two years.
- Share up to 10 ideas at Idea Collection assemblies and online
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302/04/2023 - 04/30/2023
Project Proposal Development
After all the Idea Collection assemblies have been held and the Idea Collection period online ends, Project Proposal Development begins.
From dozens or hundreds of ideas collected, ultimately about 5-10 projects ranging from $50,000 - $100,000 per project may be voted on by youth throughout Senate Districts 24 and 25, and funded by the ARPA allocations.
Budget Delegates take the collected ideas and work with YV2 staff and Project Implementers in order to develop implementable and feasible projects to be voted on. All youth who meet the eligibility criteria are invited to sign up to be a Budget Delegate at YouthPB.org or at any Idea Collection assembly. Applications are due by December 23, 2022 . Budget Delegates will meet as committees, research ideas, and produce project proposals for the ballot.
YV2 staff and Process Facilitators will support project development to ensure that are possible, scaled accurately and have realistic cost assessments. Budget Delegates will research and design projects that are aligned with YV2 Values and Goals, and Project Themes.
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405/14/2023 - 07/15/2023
Vote
Voting on Project Proposals takes place from May 15 - July 15, 2023 at in person events and through online voting at youthpb.org which directs users to oregon.pipelinetopower.com. Votes collected at all venues will be compiled and counted. Be sure to register on this platform, or attend our voting assemblies.
Youth select the projects they want funded. The project with the most votes in each of the five categories will be funded with the $500,000 available. Five projects will be funded at $100,000 each. Eligible youth can vote at Voting Assemblies, or online at youthpb.org/participate. Participants are allowed one vote per project.
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507/14/2023 - 08/30/2024
Results
July 17, 2023
Participatory Budgeting Oregon announced the winning projects for Oregon’s first participatory budgeting process on July 15 at Nadaka Park in Gresham
Nearly 800 young people in the East Metro Region voted from May 15 to July 15 and selected five winning projects to receive $100,000 each to implement, totaling the $500,000 funding available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Participatory Budgeting Oregon announced the results at Nadaka Park in Gresham at the Youth Voice, Youth Vote PB (YV² PB) closing celebration. Senator Chris Gorsek (District 25) and Representative Ricki Ruiz (District 50) attended. Ruiz addressed the crowd about the importance of youth leadership and participatory budgeting.
Winning projects:
- Beyond SNAP: More Menstrual and Hygiene Products: Expanding youth access to menstrual and hygiene products that are not typically covered by SNAP benefits.
- Sheltering Youth: Connecting Young People to Rental and Housing Assistance
- Youth Artist Capital: Paid two-week program for youth artists to develop their art and entrepreneurial skills.
- Get the Summer Job of Your Dreams!: A job resource fair to help youth learn directly from employers about how to get ready for your dream summer job.
- Young Professionals - Paid Training to Start Your Career: Paid internships for youth to learn professional skills and explore job opportunities.
Youth leaders who designed Youth Voice, Youth Vote PB (YV² PB) developed program rules and five categories for eligible projects designed for and by youth ages 13-25. Each winning project corresponds with one of these five categories with community-based organizations selected to implement them.
Project categories and implementing organizations::
- Youth health services (Hey Doc Clinic)
- Housing and homeless services (APANO)
- Youth public art (Portland’5 Centers for the Arts)
- Youth recreation and cultural programs (Friends of Noise)
- Economic justice (Day One Tech)
Voting process:
Nearly 800 ballots were counted. Eligible youth voted in select locations in their community such as high schools, parks, public events, youth-specific events, and online at youthpb.org.Program goals:
The goal of YV² PB (pronounced Y V Squared P B) is to foster and support youth civic leadership and public health in the process of identifying community-driven COVID-19 relief and recovery projects funded by $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. These ARPA funds were committed by State Legislators Kayse Jama, Chris Gorsek, and Ricki Ruiz. Cycle 1 of this youth-led participatory budgeting process is occurring within Senate Districts 24 and 25 and House District 50 in East Multnomah and North Clackamas Counties.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2023
Participatory Budgeting Oregon announced the winning projects for Oregon’s first participatory budgeting process on July 15 at Nadaka Park in Gresham
Nearly 800 young people in the East Metro Region voted from May 15 to July 15 and selected five winning projects to receive $100,000 each to implement, totaling the $500,000 funding available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Participatory Budgeting Oregon announced the results at Nadaka Park in Gresham at the Youth Voice, Youth Vote PB (YV² PB) closing celebration. Senator Chris Gorsek (District 25) and Representative Ricki Ruiz (District 50) attended. Ruiz addressed the crowd about the importance of youth leadership and participatory budgeting.Winning projects:
- Beyond SNAP: More Menstrual and Hygiene Products: Expanding youth access to menstrual and hygiene products that are not typically covered by SNAP benefits.
- Sheltering Youth: Connecting Young People to Rental and Housing Assistance
- Youth Artist Capital: Paid two-week program for youth artists to develop their art and entrepreneurial skills.
- Get the Summer Job of Your Dreams!: A job resource fair to help youth learn directly from employers about how to get ready for your dream summer job.
- Young Professionals - Paid Training to Start Your Career: Paid internships for youth to learn professional skills and explore job opportunities.
Youth leaders who designed Youth Voice, Youth Vote PB (YV² PB) developed program rules and five categories for eligible projects designed for and by youth ages 13-25. Each winning project corresponds with one of these five categories with community-based organizations selected to implement them.
Project categories and implementing organizations:
- Youth health services (Hey Doc Clinic)
- Housing and homeless services (APANO)
- Youth public art (Portland’5 Centers for the Arts)
- Youth recreation and cultural programs (Friends of Noise)
- Economic justice (Day One Tech)
Voting process:
Nearly 800 ballots were counted. Eligible youth voted in select locations in their community such as high schools, parks, public events, youth-specific events, and online at youthpb.org.Program goals:
The goal of YV² PB (pronounced Y V Squared P B) is to foster and support youth civic leadership and public health in the process of identifying community-driven COVID-19 relief and recovery projects funded by $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. These ARPA funds were committed by State Legislators Kayse Jama, Chris Gorsek, and Ricki Ruiz. Cycle 1 of this youth-led participatory budgeting process is occurring within Senate Districts 24 and 25 and House District 50 in East Multnomah and North Clackamas Counties.
Program timeline:- June through September 2022: Youth steering committee developed program rules and direction.
- October through December 2022: Youth across the region submitted project ideas.
- January through April 2023: Youth and community-based organizations transform crowdsourced project ideas into project proposals for the voting ballot.
- May through July 15, 2023: Eligible youth vote for top proposals.
- August 2023 through August 2024: Winning projects are implemented.
Participatory budgeting (PB) activates people’s power over real money in a structured process that redistributes power and resources to benefit under-represented and under-resourced populations. PB is one mechanism for community-led recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic being used in other communities across the country to democratically allocate ARPA funds.
Jama, Gorsek, Ruiz, the Seeding Justice Foundation, and five non-profit organizations are collaborating to make YV² PB possible. East County Rising Community Projects, Participatory Budgeting Oregon, Play Grow Learn, The Rosewood Initiative, and Unite Oregon are core implementing organizations.
Participatory Budgeting Oregon organized the entire participatory budgeting process and worked with youth leaders to select the organizations to develop and implement winning projects: APANO, Day One Tech, Friends of Noise, Hey Doc Clinic, and Portland’5 Centers for the Arts.
Additional funding for YV² PB implementation came from the Seeding Justice, Oregon Community Foundation, the Collins Foundation, the Participatory Budgeting Project’s Democracy Beyond Elections Coalition, and Social Justice Fund Northwest.
Future implementation:
A second cycle to follow this initial effort could allocate additional public funds within a similar project area in 2023 and 2024. Over the course of two participatory budgeting cycles, Participatory Budgeting Oregon and partnering organizations aim to engage at least 5,000 youth in exercising their power to benefit their communities. This process aims to expand civic leadership and organizing skills while enhancing and rebuilding community, relationships, and mental health outcomes.
