About MYC
Decisions are made every day that affect the lives of young people, many times with little to no input from those impacted by the decisions. The purpose of the MYC is to involve youth in all levels of community decision-making.
The Multnomah Youth Commission (MYC) is the official youth policy body to the Multnomah County Board and Portland City Council. This diverse group of youth (ages 13-21) live, work, attend school, and/or attend an out-of-school program in Multnomah County or the City of Portland. Youth commissioners provide advice about the decisions the City & County make that affect young people. They also advocate for a youth agenda of positive policy changes, guided by “Our Bill of Rights: Children & Youth”, the nation’s first Bill of Rights written for and by young people. Providing a voice for our community’s youth, the MYC is supported and funded by the Multnomah County Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE) and the City of Portland Office of Community and Civic Life.
Duties
Youth commissioners are NOT selected based on grades, school attendance, extra curricular involvement, academic skills, or previous leadership experience. Youth commissioners ARE selected based on passion for making change, dedication to improving our community, and bringing unique perspective and voice to the work.
Two types of member positions are available: Voting and At-Large. The MYC selection committee will determine which position is most appropriate for individual applicants. Youth Commissioners participate as non-paid volunteers.
Voting Members Must:
- Commit 12 hours per month to MYC activities, including meetings in Portland and East County (Gresham) on two Sundays of every month from 4:30-7:30pm, and one after-school meeting per week on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
- Attend all meetings of the MYC and be ready to participate, be engaged, and work as a group.
- Assist in creating a work plan for achieving the goals established during the past term and at the 2025-26 Youth Commission Fall retreat.
- Ensure that the MYC and its subcommittees complete assigned duties within the work plan and make progress on each of the goals.
- Seek the opinions, thoughts, and ideas of community youth to inform MYC activities.
At-Large Members Must:
- Follow all the same duties as voting members but have less demanding attendance and time commitments. At-Large members are required to commit 7 hours per month to MYC activities. Committee meeting attendance is required and Sunday meeting attendance is expected.
How to Apply
Apply to the Multnomah Youth Commission today. Application are due April 18th, 2025.