Minnesota Youth In Government

Overview
The Minnesota Youth In Government program consists of both a Model Assembly (representing the State Legislative system) and a Model United Nations. The Model Assembly is run each January at the Minnesota State Capitol building in Saint Paul. At this program, nearly 1500 students from around the state (including such outlying areas as Red Wing and Duluth) gather to debate issues conceived and written upon by themselves. In addition to the main Legislative program, the Minnesota YMCA YIG program also has three full Judicial systems - a Trial Court, an Appeals Court, as well as a Supreme Court - and various other smaller groups such as Lobbyist teams, staff for both the Youth Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General, and four media teams (radio, television, a twice-daily newspaper and a polling/social media center.)

The Model United Nations program takes place in Mid-March and brings together over 600 youth to represent countries from around the world and debate issues of international importance.

Training sessions for delegates as well as elected and appointed officials are held throughout the year.

MODEL ASSEMBLY
Since 1946 the Model Assembly Session has grown from a simple program featuring only a Model Legislature and a Youth Governor, to an incredibly realistic and complex simulation of Minnesota state government. Approximately 1,400 students in grades 8-12 take part in the Model Assembly Session each year.

Participants have opportunities to serve in a number of different program areas. Participants can serve as leadership corps members, legislators, judges, attorneys, lobbyists, and cabinet members. They may also work in the offices of the Youth Attorney General, Youth Secretary of State, Youth Lieutenant Governor and Youth Governor.

Others may choose to spend their time exploring the role that media plays in government by taking part in the production of their own daily newspapers, nightly television news broadcasts, or daily radio station programming. The Model Assembly program itself is conducted almost entirely by students, so many leadership opportunities exist for interested delegates. The possibilities for discovery are virtually limitless.

The Model Assembly Session provides unique, hands-on, opportunities for the young people of Minnesota to learn about their government. Minnesota YMCA Model Assembly has the honor to use the facilities of the Minnesota State Capitol Complex and the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel. Very few people have experienced the thrill of making a speech in the Senate or the exhilaration of presenting a case before the Supreme Court. The Model Assembly Session offers students these and many more wonderful opportunities.

While the primary goal of this program is the promotion of responsible citizenship, students come away from Model Assembly with much more than a greater knowledge of the inner-workings of government. Participants sharpen their leadership skills and improve their critical thinking while they become more skillful at debate and public speaking. Students' self-esteem is improved as they learn that their ideas do matter and that they can make a difference in their world. As Model Assembly participants experience what it is like to run the State of Minnesota for a few days, they also learn a great deal about themselves - their abilities, their interests, and their responsibilities as citizens of a participatory democracy.




 * 1,500 participants
 * Grades 8-12
 * Registration - Sept/Oct
 * January conference
 * Focus: Minnesota Issues
 * Program Areas: Legislature, Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Trial Court, Lobbyist, Junior/Senior Cabinet, TV, Radio, Newspaper, Leadership Corps

Model United Nations
For more than two decades, young people from across Minnesota and the Midwest have gathered each spring to take part in Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government Model United Nations. While focusing on role-playing an “adopted” country, students in grades 7-12 exercised the arts of compromise and diplomacy to attempt to solve pressing global problems. Model United Nations aims to teach students to be responsible “world citizens” in our global community.

Model United Nations is a simulation in which students, representing UN member states, meet

to find solutions to common problems. It is a fascinating laboratory where concepts and principles from the classroom can come to life.

As students simulate international organizations, they begin to find new answers to tough questions, to learn and respect opposing points of view, and to utilize the tools of peaceful change.

They also gain a better understanding of the role of the United Nations in the world and often develop a life-long interest in international affairs. This program creates a working replica of the United Nations, conducted almost entirely by students. Students can participate in a model General Assembly, International Court of Justice, Economic and Social Council, Security Council, Human Rights Council or Conference Newspaper.

Young minds are challenged to research world issues and global concerns. They accomplish this by studying a particular nation’s history, culture, economy, and system of government. Students form groups of up to six people to represent their choice of a country in the United Nations.

In its “learning by doing” approach, Model United Nations is an innovative teaching technique that helps students develop a global perspective and sharpens their researching, writing and speaking skills. Through various stages of inquiry, study, negotiation and debate, students acquire new skills and gain substantive knowledge about international issues and the various national perspectives on those concerns.

Minnesota YMCA Youth in Government Model United Nations offers a world of opportunity to young people!


 * 600 participants
 * Grades 7-12
 * Registration - January
 * March conference
 * Focus: International Issues
 * Program Areas: General Assembly, International Court of Justice, Human Rights Council, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Newspaper