After my opinion column was published May 18, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward invited me to discuss the Youth Civic Liaison Program, a proposal aimed at increasing youth participation in local government. During our conversation, he said he supported the idea.
The YCLP would use the city of Gainesville’s myGNV app as a civic engagement tool to encourage high school students to report key neighborhood issues like potholes, fallen trees and illegal dumping. These problems constantly remind us of what is hindering the natural beauty and charm of our city, ultimately leading to feelings of dismay and disappointment.
Taking initial steps through partnerships with local Key Clubs can allow students to submit their own reports and take charge of tracking the city’s progress in resolving these issues.
Beginning in August, the YCLP will launch with Key Club members at Eastside High School, who will report community issues through the myGNV app. I also proposed the mayor’s office establish a volunteer recognition award for students who complete their community reports. Such a program would not only motivate students to participate but also to be recognized and rewarded for their time, dedication and contribution to the community.
One important civic lesson I learned from my conversation with the mayor was that the myGNV app operates only within the city of Gainesville’s boundaries. Even residents who use a Gainesville mailing address but live outside the city limits must report issues directly to Alachua County, as the county doesn’t currently have an interactive reporting tool similar to myGNV.
To address this gap, I have proposed the development of a joint civic engagement platform for the city of Gainesville and Alachua County. This system would allow residents across both jurisdictions to report community issues through a single platform, making it easier to communicate concerns to local governments. Furthermore, patrons would be satisfied in knowing their concerns are being directly sent to the local government, which is willing to get the problem solved.
The goal of YCLP is to help our communities become safer, cleaner and healthier through youth-led civic engagement. Ultimately, I hope to establish a precedent for this youth-led, community-supported initiative that lasts beyond my graduation. Accomplishing this would require lasting partnerships between schools and local governments, ensuring the program continues to make lasting and meaningful impacts on communities.
After meeting with the mayor, I strongly feel the YCLP must move forward. The entire community should work together, step by step, to make this initiative a success. With the support and encouragement of the mayor’s office, I am confident the program will succeed.
Justice Nah is a rising senior at Eastside High School. He can be reached at 27awesomejustice@gmail.com.
