Youth Opportunities
Get Involved in The County
County youth can get involved in local government in a number of ways. Read on for opportunities to get involved, have your say, and learn about how local government works.
The Hour-for-Hour Challenge
The Hour-for Hour Challenge encourages municipalities to provide hour-for-hour volunteer compensation to secondary school students who partake in activities such as watching Council and Committee/Board meetings. Students may be asked to write about their volunteer experience or participate in follow-up surveys and discussion groups.
The Ontario Ministry of Education requires that each student complete 40 hours of volunteer activities in the community in order to earn their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. The Hour-for-Hour Challenge provides high school students with an opportunity to earn these 40 volunteer hours by sharing a youth perspective on the governance work of the municipality.
To register for the Hour for Hour Challenge, local youth should contact Joy McLeod, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, at jmcleod@pecounty.on.ca.
Employment
Each year, The County posts several opportunities for student employment during the summer months. Student job postings are updated on the Employment page.
Committees
Council wants greater youth involvement and recognizes the value of their input. Several Advisory boards and Committees now allow the appointment of up to two youth members (between the ages of 16 and 25) with flexibility in their length of terms.
Here are the Committees with youth positions (those with current vacancies in youth positions are indicated):
- Accessibility Advisory Committee
- Agriculture Advisory Committee (1 youth position currently vacant)
- Built & Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee (2 youth positions currently vacant)
- Environmental Advisory Committee
- Traffic Advisory Committee (1 youth position currently vacant)
Youth recruitment for the 2022-2026 Prince Edward County Boards and Committees remains OPEN!
Learn more about volunteer committees and current openings.
Classroom Engagement
Each year, the Clerk’s Office hosts local elementary or secondary school classes that express interest in learning more about local government.
For more information, or to register for a classroom presentation, please email clerks@pecounty.on.ca.