Youth Action Center
This page is just the beginning! We are excited to hear from you and other young people in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Do you love your community & want to work to make it better?
We believe that you and every young person in the City of Poughkeepsie can serve as a powerful agent of social change.
Do you have skills, ideas, or solutions you want to share with the Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet? Sign up here!
Are you looking to do something after school?
Below we provide information on programs and initiatives that serve youth in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Take Action in Your Community
Below, we provide several links that provide key information on your local elected officials, how to register to vote if you are 18 or older, and what it means to be a youth organizer working to address the change you want to see in your community.
Who is elected to represent you in the City of Poughkeepsie?
Learn more about your representatives in the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council by clicking here.
Are you 18? Register to vote.
1. Are you a US citizen that's 18, with a New York State ID and want to register to vote? Sign up to vote by clicking here.
2. Are you 16 or 17? You may also pre-register to vote using the link above and when you turn 18, you will automatically be registered to vote!
3. If you don't have a New York State ID, you can complete this form and mail it or deliver it in person to 47 Cannon Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. Have questions? Call (845) 486-2473
Is there something in your community you want to change?
Learn more about youth organizing and how you can impact change in your neighborhood, in the City, or in the County by clicking here.
Who is elected to represent you in the Dutchess County Legislature?
Learn more about who represents you in the Dutchess County Legislature by clicking here.
What does the PK Children's CAbinet believe about engaging young people?
Young people in the City of Poughkeepsie are a major asset to our City and hold bold solutions to the issues they are experiencing everyday. The Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet is working to design a youth engagement strategy that meets young people where they are and that provides tools to influence the systems that directly impact their lives. We are working with local partners and are looking to launch a citywide youth engagement strategy in Spring 2021.
Self Determination
The Children’s Cabinet will support the self determination of young people in the City of Poughkeepsie through direct engagement.
Center Inclusiveness
The Children’s Cabinet will intentionally center inclusiveness amongst young people and facilitate collaboration with adult allies in decision-making processes.
Young People at the Decision-Making Table
The Children’s Cabinet will serve as a vehicle for young people to shape the decisions that impact their lives. The PCC will develop a blueprint for youth participation in decision making and formal power within the cabinet to ensure that young people shape the agenda for children and youth in the City of Poughkeepsie.
Young People as Experts
Young people’s expertise and lived experiences in schools and in communities will shape the priorities, resource allocation, and decisions by leaders with formal power and the Children’s Cabinet at large.
Amplify Skills & Strengths
Young people's skills and strengths will be amplified, shared, and supported by the Cabinet and through community partnerships.
The Role of Adult Allies
Adult allies will offer time, resources, and energy to bolster young people’s leadership, analysis of the systems that impact their lives, and skills to enact change.