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State of Iowa Youth Action Committee (SIYAC)
SIYAC Press Release July 2008
The State of Iowa Youth Action Committee (SIYAC) is a nonpartisan policy-advisory organization comprised of 21 students from across the state. The group meets for required quarterly meetings in Des Moines and members are connected to youth groups, coalitions, councils, or committees in their schools or communities.
SIYAC was established in 2001 by Governor Vilsack as a way in which high-school youth could communicate and inform legislative decisions. Over the years, several state agencies within the Iowa Collaboration for Youth Development have supported SIYAC by offering staff support, allowing employees to serve as mentors, and by using the collective SIYAC voice to help guide state-wide projects impacting youth.
SIYAC not only provides youth with access to state government, but it also serves to provide state agencies and legislators easy access to high school youth from across the state who are well-informed about what works in the eyes of Iowa's young people. Their fresh perspective challenges and soothes the stereotypical view of Iowa's youth. Each SIYAC group focuses their policy work to formulate their specific legislative initiatives.
Every year SIYAC chooses specific initiatives to focus on. Past SIYAC groups have tended to address issues impacting education, public health, human services, workforce, and the juvenile justice system.
Join SIYAC Today!
SIYAC member applications for the 2008-2009 school year are currently being taken up until August 8th, 2008. Download the application here!
For more information, contact SIYAC State Coordinator Bryan King.
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