What does WYV mean in MUSIC

Washington Youth Voice (WYV) is a youth collective which seeks to build relationships between young people, community organizations and policy makers in order to increase the political power and representation of Washington State's youth. We strive to amplify the voices of young people to bring attention to issues that will shape their future.

WYV engages in various activities such as educational programming on policy and civic engagement, lobbying for better policies, organizing events centered around youth, and advocating for our peers' rights. We also create safe spaces for dialogue between young people and their elected officials by inviting them to our events.

There are many ways you can get involved with WYV! You can join us at one of our events or meetings; sign up for our mailing list; volunteer your time or skills; help spread the word about WYV by sharing our content on social media; or even donate money to support our cause!

Our advocacy focuses on issues that affect young people in Washington State, such as access to affordable health care, voter registration, youth homelessness, student debt mitigation, gun violence prevention education and climate change action. We use a variety of tactics such as lobbying legislators in person and testifying during public hearings.

At WYV we believe that every voice matters and strive to make sure all voices are heard! We recognize that when there's diversity among members there's strength in numbers. To ensure this we actively seek out representatives from different racial/ethnic backgrounds, political ideologies/parties, genders/sexual orientations, geographical locations etc., so everyone has an equal share of influence.

It’s important for young people to be politically engaged because they are the next generation who will be inheriting the world’s problems which were caused by previous generations. Therefore it’s essential that they have a say in how these problems are tackled. In addition, it’s important for them to understand how government works so they don't become victims of political manipulation or misinformed voting decisions.

Involvement with WYV offers opportunities for personal growth through professional development workshops as well as hands-on experience leading projects related to civic engagement initiatives. By working closely with other youths motivated by change combined with mentorship from professionals already experienced in advocacy work you can gain valuable insights into effective problem solving strategies applicable outside the organization.

Yes! We offer paid internships for those interested in gaining experience related to policy research & analysis, grassroots outreach & lobbying strategies as well as gaining insight into organizational operations from budgeting & finance management down daily operations & internal communication within a non-profit setting.

No we do not provide legal services however we may be able direct individuals interested in seeking legal representation towards resources available nearby depending on situation.