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8 <br />Innovative Applications <br />Municipalities.can.connect.with.youth.. <br />and.keep.them.actively.engaged.through. <br />interactive.games.or.applications.that.keep. <br />them.up-to-date.on.municipal.issues,.. <br />announcements,.and.events. <br />EXAMPLES <br />•.City.of.Waterloo.interactive.municipal.. <br />application.called.Ping.Street.provides.. <br />on-the-go.municipal.information.ranging. <br />from.elections.to.road.closures. <br />•.Alberta.Municipal.Affairs.created.a.fun,. <br />interactive.flash.game,.Building.Commu- <br />nities.through.Local.Government,.to.teach. <br />youth.the.role.of.local.government.in.their. <br />community. <br />youth <br />engagement <br />organizations <br />There.are.dozens.of.organizations.in.Canada. <br />dedicated.to.promoting.youth.political.enga- <br />gement..For.instance,.Apathy.is.Boring,.a. <br />national.bilingual.organization,.uses.art.and. <br />technology.to.educate.young.people.about. <br />democracy..Apathy.is.Boring.offers.free.. <br />lesson.plans.for.teaching.young.people.. <br />about.elections.and.political.institutions... <br />The.organization.also.provides.fact.sheets. <br />and.handouts.on.how.youth.can.become. <br />more.engaged.in.the.democratic.process. <br />and.institutional.tips.on.how.to.make.. <br />your.organization.friendlier.to.youth..All.of.. <br />its.resources.are.available.in.both.official. <br />languages.. <br />Apathy.is.Boring.also.offers.consultation,. <br />research,.and.youth.event.planning.services. <br />(fees.are.charged.for.these.services)..For. <br />instance,.this.organization.has.partnered.with. <br />municipalities.to.conduct.audits.that.measure. <br />the.“youth-friendliness”.of.municipal.elections. <br />according.to.indicators.developed.in.part- <br />nership.with.the.Sheldon.Chumir.Foundation.. <br />The.audit.reports.offer.a.community.profile. <br />of.the.state.of.youth.engagement.in.the.. <br />municipality,.as.well.as.recommendations.. <br />on.strategies.to.encourage.civic.youth.. <br />engagement,.including.voting.in.municipal. <br />elections..The.organization.is.committed.to. <br />working.with.partners.in.every.region.of.the. <br />country.and.the.cost.of.each.project.varies. <br />and.is.assessed.on.a.case-by-case.basis. <br />Similarly,.Student.Vote,.a.parallel.election.. <br />for.students.under.the.voting.age,.is.another.. <br />potential.ally.in.increasing.awareness.and. <br />participation.of.youth.in.local.government.. <br />Once.registered.with.Student.Vote,.schools. <br />are.given.resource.materials.and.support.in. <br />hosting.a.mock.student.vote.on.the.day.of. <br />the.federal,.provincial,.or.municipal.election.. <br />There.is.no.cost.for.schools.to.participate... <br />Although.the.municipality.may.not.play.a. <br />direct.role.in.a.Student.Vote.day,.local.gov- <br />ernment.can.make.an.important.contribution. <br />to.youth.engagement.by.sharing.information. <br />about.these.kinds.of.opportunities.and.. <br />encouraging.local.schools.to.participate. <br />In.addition,.there.are.community.organiza- <br />tions.in.every.region.of.the.country.doing.. <br />important.youth.work.that.would.benefit. <br />from.a.partnership.with.municipal.government.. <br />The.best.way.to.maximize.municipal.time.and. <br />resources.and.create.high-impact.youth.en- <br />gagement.work.is.to.seek.out.strategic.part- <br />nerships.with.youth-driven.organizations.and. <br />create.opportunities.for.collaboration..