Milwaukee Succeeds describes paid 18‑month 'Autonomous Youth Council' and placements for youth on local decision bodies

Milwaukee Succeeds told the Emerging Youth Achievement Advisory Council on July 17 that its Autonomous Youth Council (AYC) is a paid, 18‑month program that trains young people and places them on local decision‑making bodies.

The AYC, presented by Maria Hamidu and Sebastian “Sebas” Fuentes of Milwaukee Succeeds, grew from a 2024 fellowship that asked 60 young people what would improve their high‑school experience. The program launched a summer academy in 2024 that provided roughly 80 hours of intensive training to 27 young people ages 14 to 23, followed by additional professional development and placements at partner organizations. “The Autonomous Youth Council is a direct response from young people wanting to actively participate in decisions that impact them in their community,” Fuentes said.

Organizers described the program as a two‑way investment: youth gain leadership and decision‑making experience while partner organizations receive youth input on program and policy decisions. Placement partners include eight organizations; each hosts at least two AYC members and commits to a minimum of eight hours per month of youth engagement. Projects cited in the presentation include board membership, policy and procedure revision at Lad Lake, philanthropic project management with Milwaukee Succeeds, and designing a mobile media van with Arts at Large.

Program staff said they pay participants for their time, build regular feedback loops through surveys and a weekly “magic box” for anonymous suggestions, and provide trusted adult facilitators. Hamidu said the program uses a “youth‑adult equity ladder” to guide partnership practices and offers an assessment and best‑practices guidebook for organizations that want support implementing youth‑adult equity.

Presenters cited outcomes from the pilot year: a 100% summer retention rate and 92% daily attendance during the inaugural summer academy; several participants securing jobs in their chosen fields; and placements that gave youth formal roles in organizational decision making. Presenters also described challenges: engagement dropped in the fall as youth balanced school, college and work; the program shifted from hybrid to fully virtual in response; and staff capacity is limited. Fuentes said the council’s placements began in March of this year and organizers are tracking retention as one measure of success.

On capacity, presenters said the core team is small (three staff supporting the current cohort) and that expansion would require additional staffing or more partner organizations to share responsibilities. They said the program is documenting lessons and recommended that partners track participant outcomes — such as internships, employment and sustained civic participation — beyond a single program year.

Council members asked about focus‑group questions and feedback: Hamidu said the team ran pre‑ and post‑assessments that asked about advocacy skills, understanding of equity, and sense of connection to peers; staff returned results to the youth and to coalition partners. The presenters also said they engage consultants for organizational check‑ins — for example, one consultant explores “adultism” in partner organizations and helps partners adjust to shared decision making with youth.

Council president Alderman Jose Perez said he would explore appointing youth to council vacancies and making placements on city committees available to AYC participants based on interest and fit. Several council members recommended adding industry exposure, internships and mentorship — particularly mentors who reflect the youth they serve — to the program’s milestones.

Organizers encouraged the council and other organizations to use the youth‑adult equity assessment and offered Milwaukee Succeeds’ support to facilitate the tool. They noted the AYC is a pilot and said they will continue documenting both best practices and barriers to inform future cohorts.