What is the Governing Board?

The Governing Board is the governing body for the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN). The Governing Board (GB) is responsible for mentoring, planning and carrying out the annual conference, and other Network operations. GB members serve as the first point of contact for Network participants within their local communities. Specific duties focus on mentoring and supporting local participants, and carrying out Network activities.

GB members must:

• be between 16 and 28 years of age during the time of the conference
• have attended a past conference
• have demonstrated exceptional leadership and advocacy skills on a local, state, or national level
• have demonstrated the ability to apply what they learned at the conference to their particular leadership goals and activities

GB members have a responsibility to:

• build relationships with local contacts
• encourage new participants to join the Network
• carry out local research and public education on issues important to youth
• where possible, make a connection with their local Youth Leadership Forum (YLF)
• participate in planning and carrying out the conference. During the conference, GB members serve primarily as mentors and instructors for participants

Following the conference, GB members:

• continue to mentor participants in their local communities
• follow-up with conference participants
• continue with any other assigned duties until new GB members are in place