Youth around the city have the chance to decide how $700,000 of the city budget will be spent, via the Participatory Budgeting Initiative, and the next step will include seven gatherings, one in West Seattle. The city’s announcement:

Youth Voice, Youth Choice, the City’s new Participatory Budgeting (PB) Initiative for youth, kicks off this week with the first of seven idea assemblies to be held across the city. This is the first stage of the program which gives youth the opportunity to decide how to spend $700,000 of the City’s budget.

The idea assemblies are where the public can brainstorm ideas for projects they would like to see in their communities. Anyone can attend and participate. The dates and times are:
· January 28 from 4 – 6 p.m. at Meridian Center for Health
· February 3 from 3 – 5 p.m. at UW Ethnic Cultural Center, Unity Room
· February 4 from 4 – 6 p.m. at Greenwood Library
· February 9 from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. at Douglass Truth Library
· February 10 from 4 – 6 p.m. at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
· February 18 from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. at New Holly Gathering Hall
· February 23 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Seattle Center Armory, Loft Room #2

Once the public assemblies are completed, the next stage involves youth volunteers who will turn the ideas into concrete proposals with help from Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and City staff. Seattle youth will then get to vote for the projects they would like to see implemented. Once the projects are decided, City staff and local agencies will implement the projects.

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process where community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. This initiative began here last July when Seattle Mayor Murray and former Councilmember Nick Licata announced the launch of a citywide youth PB process. Youth Voice, Youth Choice is managed by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON) with the goal of empowering youth to make decisions on how to spend a portion of the budget.

Need more info? The city’s youth engagement strategic adviser Rahwa Habte is at 206-615-2008.