BUILDING A TEAM
Interviewing time.
• Meeting Structure:
• Consider speed-dating rounds — divide
interview into topics handled by 3 to 5
groups (depending on the number of youth
and adults available).
• Rotate the applicant through the different
groups/rooms every 5 to 10 minutes.
• This system allows up to 5 youth to be
interviewed during each interview time slot,
rather than scheduling only one person per
interview slot. Also, the candidate meets
more than one interviewer and may ask
questions in a more intimate setting. We
have learned these shorter, more intimate
interviews seem less daunting to a youth
than one long interview.
• Make sure that youth conducting interviews
work in teams of 2 to 3.
Interviewer roles.
• Greeter — consider an adult or youth to greet
applicants when they arrive and provide
instructions on where to go and what to do.
• Timekeeper — be sure to track time and set the
pace (can be one of the interviewers).
• Youth interviewers:
• Provide an overview of projects and
year-at-a-glance.
• Ask the main leadership interview
questions.
• Provide commitment expectations:
- - Confirm ability to attend all/almost all
meetings.
- - Review the process and consequences
for missing a meeting.
- - Confirm transportation to meeting.
Interviewer debrief.
• Debrief with youth interviewers immediately
following each day of interviews and convene
again after all interviews are complete to
determine which applicants will be accepted.
• Use scored rubrics to discuss each
applicant and why they received the score
they were given. Remind youth interviewers
of the acceptance criteria.
• Reach a consensus on scores and applicants
that will be accepted.
• Ask youth interviewers to identify one
strength and one area of improvement
for each applicant. Provide this feedback
constructively to the applicants.
• The youth adult partner should contact all
applicants to inform them of the results.
• Wait list. If there are late applicants or more
applicants than available positions in the
council, consider creating a wait list. Reach
out to them if spots become available.
• Remind interviewers that these interviews
should be strictly confidential.
• Take notes/score on rubric.
• Adult interviewers:
• Provide general council overview: why the
youth advisory council exists and the goals,
what is the youth-adult partnership model,
outline new or past initiatives, explain other
opportunities that come from participating
in a youth council.
YOUTH INTERVIEWER GROUPS DO
NOT NEED TO INCLUDE AN ADULT;
WE FOUND IT’S MUCH BETTER THAT WAY.
YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF WRITING
A CONTRACT/LETTER OF AGREEMENT
WITH THE STUDENTS.
12
CREATING YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCILS