Young Professionals organizations (YPO’s) exist to make their communities better places for our members to live, work and play. There are many ways we do that - from social events to professional development programs. But at some point, most YPO’s will find themselves wanting to really dig their teeth into an issue. And if the issue is big enough, they will need to involve their government at the city, province or state level to create the kind of change they want to see.

You could wait until the issue surfaces for your organization, and then mobilize a lobbying effort. But in most cases, this will not get you the results you are looking for. You will have more influence, and more ability to achieve your objectives, by building a strong relationship with your governments. Make them partners, not adversaries. Work with them, not against them.

The challenge is, how can a YPO establish the kind of relationship and credibility with those government partners that will allow them to truly have a ‘seat at the table’ when it comes to serious policy change? The following steps are written for municipal government, but the same principles apply at the state, provincial or federal level. Here’s how to get started.

• Start by identifying one or two key contacts in your government who have shown some alignment with your goals and objectives. In a perfect world, this would be your Mayor, but one or two supportive City Councillors can work just as well.
• Arm yourself with information about the challenges that cities face in attracting and retaining young professionals, and how important our demographic is. Next Generation Consulting’s website is a great resource for this kind of information.
• Begin building relationships one on one. Take your Councillor out for a coffee to talk about your organization, and the challenges that he or she is facing. Look for ways that you can help! In even a short conversation, there are bound to be ‘nuggets’ - projects or initiatives that your YPO could take on that would be of huge value to your government.
• After building a strong relationship with your key ‘ally’, ask that contact how best to build a bridge with all of their colleagues. On days when Council is sitting, they typically have time available for presentations by outside groups. Buying lunch for your city Council - a couple hundred dollars - is a great investment! You have a captive and appreciative audience, and there is nothing like breaking bread with people to build a strong foundation for a relationship.
• Show up! Engagement is a two way street, and you need to show your elected officials that you are interested in working with them. Make the effort to involve yourself in their world. Show up to public hearings. Express your opinions. Volunteer for Committees and Councils.
• Stay in touch. Make sure that your elected representatives are on your mailing list. Invite them to your events, and make sure they know what your organization is up to! Don’t forget or neglect your first allies. Stay most closely in touch with these people because they will be your eyes, your ears - and your voice - on the ‘inside’.
• Finally, don’t forget to recognize results! Elected officials (not unlike small children and dogs ...) respond best to positive reinforcement. When your government makes decisions that align with your objectives, praise them! Send them an email or leave them a voicemail. Even better, write a letter to the editor of your local paper. There’s nothing like public praise to keep people moving in your direction.

These steps are just as effective if your YPO is a decade old or more, as they are if your organization has just launched. In either case, there is no time like the present. Reach out today, and create a seat for your YPO right where it belongs: at your government’s decision-making table.

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