In just one week, each Youth Policy Summit combines a number of various exercises, activities and trainings to lead students through a collaborative policy process. The major components of each YPS program are outlined below.

Pre-Summit Research:

In the months leading up to the Summit, every student is asked to do 2 small research assignments to prepare for the program. Every student is assigned a stakeholder from industry, advocacy or government whose work is related to the Summit topic. Students must complete guided research into their individual stakeholder assignment so that they are prepared to represent their stakeholder's interests and values during the Summit week. In addition, students must research the general Summit topic to ensure they have a base knowledge of the issues that surround the Summit topic. YPS staff will be available as resources throughout the research process.

Sharing Topic Knowledge:

On the first day of the Summit, students will share the knowledge that they gained through large and small group sessions and activities focused on the overall Summit topic. TKC staff will fill any research holes with additional knowledge and research guidance to ensure that all students have a good grasp on the topic and its surrounding issues.

Team Building Games & Exercises:

Throughout the Summit week, TKC staff will lead participants through games and exercises that promote team building and communication. These activities provide a fun opportunity for students to get outside and run around, and teach valuable lessons about collaboration and teamwork.

Mediation Training:

During the beginning of the Summit week, one of The Keystone Center's expert facilitators leads students through a number of mediation sessions that include hands-on practice, small and large group discussions and negotiation theory and training. These sessions provide students with the basic mediation skills to navigate their way through the consensus-building process. Mediation training also includes stakeholder dialogues where students take on their researched stakeholder roles and learn more about how various entities and sectors approach the same issues. Sessions are designed to give students the tools to be successful during the Summit week as well as in their future studies, careers and personal relationships.

Expert Panel:

The expert panel takes place on the third day of the Summit week and is a pivotal event in the YPS process. TKC brings a panel of high-level experts from industry, advocacy and government groups related to the Summit topic. Panelists are chosen for their expertise and insight into the various facets of the Summit topic, and every expert panel is designed to provide a range of voices and stakeholder sectors. The panel is a student-directed event as the majority of time is spent in smaller groups, with students asking panelists questions about their daily lives working on issues surrounding the Summit topic. This event offers students the chance to interact with accomplished adults, to gain in-depth knowledge about their Summit topic and various stakeholder viewpoints, and a glimpse into possible career paths in a variety of sectors and areas.

Narrowing the Issues:

The Summit week is guided by a collaborative process that involves widening the spectrum of facts and viewpoints before narrowing issues and looking for solutions. After in-depth learning about their Summit topic through research, sessions and the expert panel, students review the various issues and problems related to the Summit topic. TKC staff then lead students through a dot polling exercise to provide a fair and consensus-based approach to narrowing the issues to a select few that they would like to work on solving.

Defining Solutions & Setting Criteria:

The latter part of the Summit week is spent largely in small groups, brainstorming and researching to come up with creative, sustainable policy solutions. Students work in teams on the select issues they chose to come up with viable options for the problems they face. These solutions are tried and tested through a number of plenary sessions discussing stakeholder interests as well as writing and brainstorming exercises that challenge students to evalidate their solutions. In addition to the "heart throb" "heart burn" and "heart attack" approval scale, the policies must align with a list of set criteria that students come up with to vet all of their proposed ideas.

Writing & Presenting Final Solutions:

The final days of the Summit are always very busy as students prepare both a written report of their final policy recommendations as well as a presentation of their ideas. The written report is formatted and printed by Keystone staff, and sent to sponsors, partners,expert panelists, students, community groups and decision makers around the country. The students present their ideas in a formal presentation that is open to the public on the final afternoon of the Summit.

Action Projects & Next Steps:

Though the Summit week is over in 7 short days, our students' work continues on long after the program is completed. In addition to policy solutions, TKC staff spend time brainstorming action projects and presentation opportunities that students can implement after the Summit week. Students have started clubs, presented their ideas to classmates, teachers, local and national government officials and more, and TKC staff are available and eager to help them make their voices heard. The possibilities to spread the word of local issues, innovative solutions and the collaborative negotiation process are endless, and we strive to provide our students with the support and connections to share their ideas. Please visit our Alumni page to learn more!

Photos by Peter Crysdale and The Keystone Center.