Getting to Know Youth

by Apathy is Boring Intern Patrick Burkhard — July 17, 2007

Want to draw youth into your election campaign, but puzzled at where to begin?  We can help!  Here are some hot tips for finding and engaging youth:

Internet:  Some major parties have been better than others at adapting their activities to the web.  In this day and age, it cannot be avoided and is a must for recruiting efforts.  Excellent places to start:

•    Blogs – start one if you haven’t already
•    Podcasts – although not everything they were made out to be, still popular with some. 
•    Forums – There are forums out there about virtually everything.  Check out forums on Music, Movies, and Politics to see what youth are saying these days
•    Have a Youth section on your webpage – include some basic political info as well as links.
•    A newsletter specifically directed towards youth
•    Social networking websites – Facebook and Twitter, at over 700 million combined users, are very important.  Be on these, and be on in full force. Also consider using YouTube, Flickr and others.

Go Where Youth Go:  Nothing beats good old fashioned face to face interaction.  This does not only mean walking around within your riding or community, but also actually going to where youth are and engaging them. 

•    Be where youth are:  Malls, Concerts, Cineplexes, parks, festivals
•    Set up a booth; be there for youth to meet you.  Allow space for youth to come to you, but be where they are.  Let them see you are present
•    Hold a concert, a skateboard contest, or any other oddball activity – a public pillow fight or barbecue even.  Youth value fresh ideas.  
•    Universities and colleges are hotbeds for eager youth – get known!

Advertise:  Want youth on your campaign? Make sure they are aware that you are out there looking for them.

•    Use free local nightlife papers
•    Magazines which may interest youth
•    Ensure youth is aware of your message and that you value and respect them. 
•    University or college job banks, websites and student organizations.  
•    Milk the media – I know politicians already do, but hit the indie media scene – especially on the internet in terms of free internet radio sites.