The Fund for Santa Barbara has selected Santa Barbara Youth Council as one of seven organizations to receive the South County Youth Making Change Grant, which is awarded annually to support youth-led projects impacting young people in Santa Barbara County.

Santa Barbara Youth Council, a city of Santa Barbara advisory committee created to give local teens a voice in local government, will use the funding to host the 2023 Youth Speak Out, a question-and-answer forum between youth and local leaders.

The event aims to cover youth-focused topics and ensure local teens can lend their voices to conversations happening within city government.

“We want to use our platform as a city advisory group to bring together the youth of our community and our local government representatives to build long-lasting relationships and foster productive dialogue,” said Kavya Suresh, Youth Council vice chair.

The Youth Council hopes the 2023 Youth Speak Out can be a starting place for local youth to get and stay engaged in politics.

“We hope this event serves as a precedent for a future in which youth have opportunities to participate in their government and to have their voices amplified by important leaders in our community,” said Tiago Eckstein, Youth Council treasurer.

With grant funding now secured, Youth Council members are working to solidify details for the 2023 Youth Speak Out.

For more about the event and other Youth Council activities, follow @SantaBarbaraYouthCouncil on Instagram.

The Santa Barbara Youth Council was established in 1994. Its 15 members are aged 13 to 19. Each serves a two-year term, advancing youth issues while gaining experience giving back to the community and participating in the public process.

The Youth Council encourages collaboration among local agencies and organizations with youth-oriented missions; promotes youth participation and interest in local issues; and can make recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Santa Barbara City Council on issues and policies affecting local youth and teens.

For more, visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/YouthCouncil.