Have you ever wanted city officials to take one of your brilliant ideas for the betterment of our celebrated Boston and actually run with it? Turns out, that’s exactly what Mayor Marty Walsh wants to do. In a new initiative announced Monday, the mayor is taking the thoughts and ideals youths may have for the future of Boston to heart. And, of course, how to spend $1 million in City capital funds.
Beginning Monday night and lasting throughout the month of March, the mayor’s office will host a series of democratic assemblies where youth can learn more about participatory budgeting and pitch their ideas for the City. This new project is aptly dubbed Youth Lead the Change.
See what Mayor Walsh has to say about the entire process:
Youth Lead The Change from City of Boston on Vimeo.
“Young people in Boston have a pulse on what is vibrant, exciting, and important to the future of our city,” Mayor Walsh said in a statement. “Youth Lead the Change provides them a way to have a voice in their local government and make important funding decisions.”
First proposed in the twilight of the Menino administration, Youth Lead the Change is being spearheaded by Shari Davis of the Department of Youth Engagement & Employment, in tandem with the Mayor’s Youth Council, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, and non-profit organization The Participatory Budgeting Project.
Youth Lead the Change assemblies will take place as follows:
- Monday, March 10, 4-6pm– Tobin Community Center, 2nd Floor, Roxbury
- Monday, March 17, 4-6pm– Grove Hall Community Center, Dorchester
- Wednesday, March 19, 3:30-5:30pm– Paris Street Community Center, East Boston
- Thursday, March 20, 4-6pm– Cleveland Community Center, Dorchester
- Monday, March 24, 4-6pm– Roslindale Community Center, Roslindale
- Tuesday, March 25, 4-6pm– Mildred Ave Community Center, Mattapan
- Thursday, March 27, 5-7pm– Condon Community Center, South Boston
If you happen to have an unparalleled idea for how all of us here in Boston can have an overall better life experience but are unable to attend any of the scheduled meetings, fret not – youths can also submit ideas online right here.
All submissions will be reviewed by what the Walsh administration is referring to as “Change Agents” ages 12-25, in consultation with design and construction experts. Once the Change Agents have sifted through every last submission, they’ll create a ballot of the best proposals to be voted on by Bostonians in the same age range.
It’s unlikely that we’ll see a single proposal take up the allotted $1 million. Rather, we’re more likely to see a number of great projects that together will best utilize the entire fund, pending final approval from the mayor’s office.
The Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics recently launched a similar citywide revamping project, though it pertained solely to public spaces. There appears to be no bounds as to how youthful Bostonians can expense the cash, except perhaps the extent of their own respective imaginations.
Have a few good initial ideas already? Feel free to submit them or share them publicly in the comments section below.
