Native Council of Nova Scotia’s Youth Council

Terms of Reference

Mission Statement:

The Native Council of Nova Scotia’s Youth Council (herein referred to as the NCNS YC) is here to provide assistance, help, friendship, and to promote change in Aboriginal Youth residing in, but not limited to, Nova Scotia.

Codes of Conduct:

All members of the Native Council of Nova Scotia’s Youth Council are to abide by the following Codes of Conduct:

• Are to attend all NCNS Youth Council conference chats or conference meetings
• Are to report back to their zone after each Annual General Assembly that they attend
• Are to report to the Youth Council Executive biweekly on the youth in their zone, even if nothing is happening
• Are to be responsible and accountable
• Are to work in the best interest of Aboriginal Youth

The NCNS YC are all to follow and practice the Codes of Conduct. In the event that they do not, the following consequences will occur:

• First Offence: Warning and contact to their Board of Director regarding the negligence.
• Second Offence: Refrained from NCNS YC related activities, including meetings, gatherings, activities, programs, contests, etc. for 3 months.
• Third Offence: Refrained from sitting on the NCNS YC, unable to attend the Annual General Assembly (AGA), held annually in conjunction with the NCNS’ AGA, for one (1) year.

Youth Representative/Delegate Selection Process:

• Youth representatives, or delegates, are elected at the zone level. Each year during a zones’ elections, they are to elect a youth representative/delegate to attend the Native Council of Nova Scotia’s Annual General Assembly. This representative is to sit on the NCNS YC as their zone representative for one (1) year, until their next zone elections.
• Youth is defined as: Any member of the Native Council of Nova Scotia between the ages of 13-29.

Youth Executive Selection Process:

• Any member of the NCNS YC who is attending the Annual General Assembly is eligible to run for one of the four executive offices: Youth President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
• Each participant running for an executive position must have a nominator and a seconder. Each participant must include a short, 5 minute speech on why they want to be a member of the Youth Council executive.
• Each youth delegate attending the AGA has one vote. Elections will be conducted by secret ballot.
• Terms of office for executive positions are one (1) year.

Roles & Responsibilities:

 Youth Representatives:

·        Are responsible to keep NCNS YC Executive informed on all youth activities in their zone

·        Must attend zone meetings monthly

·        Must be available to talk to youth in their zone

·        Are to encourage all youth in their zone to participate and be active within the Native Council of Nova Scotia

Executive Members:

·        Are to provide encouragement to all the NCNS Youth in Nova Scotia

·        Are responsible to keep the NCNS YC informed on all major Youth activities, gatherings, meetings, decisions, etc

·        Are to record minutes of meetings and chair meetings

·        Are to keep the NCNS updated with their activities bi-weekly

·        Are to enforce the Roles, Responsibility, and Codes of Conduct

Monies & Efficiencies:

• All monies spent are to be recorded by receipts and kept on file
• Three (3) of the four (4) Youth Council Executive must be contact and must give consent for monies to be withdrawn. Treasurer must be one of these three (3) people
• A Youth Bank Account will be started by the Youth Treasurer within thirty (30) days of the Annual General Assembly. All raised monies will be deposited in the account. At the end of their term, the bank account will either be closed or passed on to the new executive for the next term
• Cost reduction measurers are to be taken into consideration