The Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center
part of the Strengthening Nonprofits Training Series
Youth Voices in Action
Building a Youth Council for Your Nonprofit
October 29, 2026
Young people bring fresh ideas, valuable perspectives, and a desire to make a difference. A Youth Council can give them a meaningful voice while developing leadership skills and creating opportunities to help shape programs and initiatives.
Presented by Nieya Garland, Coordinator of the Raleigh Youth Council, this practical session will use North Carolina’s Youth Council model to explore how nonprofits can create and sustain an effective Youth Council. Participants will learn how to define its purpose and structure, recruit and engage youth members, establish roles for youth and adult advisors, and create meaningful opportunities for youth leadership and
decision-making.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify how youth voice and leadership can strengthen programs and community impact.
- Define the purpose, structure, roles, and expectations of a Youth Council.
- Develop a framework for recruiting and engaging youth and adult advisors.
- Create meaningful opportunities for youth participation, leadership, and decision-making.
You’ll leave with practical ideas and a framework for bringing youth voice into your organization.
This is a FREE Training
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Time: 2pm – 3pm ET
Log-in instructions will be provided upon Zoom registration.
Presenter
Nieya Garland
Teen Program Supervisor- Raleigh Youth Council Advisor
Nieya Garland is an artist, youth advocate, programmer, and Advisor of the Raleigh Youth
Council, where she helps young people develop their voices through leadership, civic engagement,
community service, and meaningful involvement in their communities.
A graduate of North Carolina State University with a background in Criminology, Nieya is also a talented
visual artist and the creator of Created by Ni. Art has long served as a form of expression, connection, and empowerment in her work. While at NC State, her artwork was featured in Viral Blackness, and she has also shared her creativity with Raleigh youth as an Art Specialist.
Nieya brings together her passion for creativity, youth development, service, and community engagement
to empower young people to become confident leaders and active participants in their communities.