On Monday, July 13, the Eastside Pathways Youth Council gathered at the Eastside Pathways office for its first meeting of 2026—and the energy in the room was unmistakable. Twelve young leaders representing Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties came together to begin a summer of learning, leadership, and action. Spanning voices from K–12 students through post-secondary leaders, this cohort reflects the incredible breadth of perspectives, experiences, and aspirations that exist across our region.
More importantly, they represent something powerful: young people ready to influence the systems that shape their lives.
This year’s council includes 12 members, three of whom are returning members. Those returning youth brought valuable experience and perspective, helping to ground the group while creating space for new voices to emerge. Together, this intergenerational youth cohort embodies the belief that leadership is not defined by age, but by the willingness to engage, collaborate, and create change.
Setting a Higher Standard for Youth Leadership
During our first session, council members explored their individual leadership traits and reflected on the kind of leaders they hope to become throughout the year. They then examined the Youth Ladder of Participation, a framework that helps young people assess and define their role in decision-making and civic engagement.
What stood out was the ambition of this group.
The majority of council members set intentions to lead at Levels 6–8 on the ladder—spaces where youth move beyond consultation and partnership to shared decision-making and youth-led action. One council member pushed the conversation even further, setting a target of Level 9—a level not officially defined on the ladder, but imagined as something adaptive and bold.
That aspiration captures the spirit of this cohort. Rather than simply participating in existing structures, they are imagining new possibilities for how leadership can look when young people are trusted to shape the future.
“We Are Steering Things”
Perhaps the most powerful moment of the evening came from a returning council member who reflected on what makes Eastside Pathways Youth Council different from other youth programs:
“Eastside Pathways Youth Council is different. Other programs look good, but it’s adults leading. This program isn’t that—we are steering things.”
The statement resonated throughout the room.
For donors, partners, and community members, this is what meaningful youth engagement looks like. It is not youth being invited into adult-led conversations after decisions have already been made. It is youth sharing ownership over decisions, priorities, and outcomes. It is creating the conditions where young people can develop the confidence and skills to lead alongside—and sometimes ahead of—adults.
Pictured: Youth Council Members Mehak G. Aiden M. and Aahil J.
Source: Roger Hart, Ladder of Youth Participation (1992)
Moving from Talk to Action
The council’s first collective goal was clear: move from discussion to action.
As a group, members identified a target of Level 6 on the Youth Ladder of Participation: “Adults’ initiatives, joint decisions.” To reach that goal, they immediately put leadership into practice by creating the working agreements that will define how they operate together throughout the year.
Rather than staff prescribing expectations, council members co-created the culture they believe is necessary for authentic leadership. Their agreements included commitments to:
- Be level-headed and open to difficult conversations.
- Speak freely without needing to raise a hand or ask permission.
- Be mindful of one another’s strengths and challenges, and use that understanding to work effectively as a cohort.
- Keep everyone involved and ensure all voices are heard.
- Merge ideas when disagreements arise and re-evaluate together.
These agreements may appear simple, but they represent something profound: ownership. They are the foundation for a team committed to collaboration, accountability, and shared leadership.
Investing in the Leaders Our Communities Need
As Eastside Pathways begins another year of Youth Council, we are reminded that young people do not need to wait to become leaders. They are leaders today.
This cohort represents communities across three counties, multiple educational pathways, and a wide range of lived experiences. They bring insight into the opportunities and challenges facing students across our region. When equipped with the right support and trusted with meaningful responsibility, they have the capacity to influence policies, programs, and systems in ways that create stronger outcomes for everyone.
For the donors and partners who invest in Eastside Pathways, this work is about more than youth development. It is about building a future where decisions affecting young people are shaped with young people, not simply for them.
On their very first day together, this council demonstrated that they are ready for that responsibility.
They arrived as individuals from different schools, communities, and experiences. They left as a team—with a shared vision, a commitment to action, and a determination to lead.
And if the first meeting is any indication, this year’s Youth Council won’t just participate in change.
They will help steer it.
