Canadian Rural Partnership
Rural Youth Dialogue

National Rural Youth Network (NRYN)
Terms of Reference

1- PURPOSE OF THE NETWORK:

2- MEMBERSHIP

• Regional and National Rural Dialogue activities sponsored or supported by the Rural Secretariat and Rural Teams in each province and territory;
• Regional and National events and activities sponsored by the Government of Canada and by partnering organizations;
• The Rural-Dialogue-Jeunesse Listserv sponsored by the Rural Secretariat;
• The Canadian Rural Partnership website and the Rural portal; and
• Current members and their regional networks.

3- SHORT AND MIDDLE-TERM OBJECTIVES

• Facilitating communication opportunities for rural youth to share ideas among themselves and to provide input to government departments and agencies on relevant issues and concerns related to youth leadership and involvement in community development through conferences, meetings and workshops and electronic means, such as conference calls and listservs.
• Connecting rural youth, partner organizations and programs and service providers from across the country to encourage broad and participatory dialogue.
• Developing partnerships with existing organizations that represent or provide services or programs targeted at youth, or that employ youth and foster young talent in the workplace.
• Creating a Pan-Canadian directory of organizations that provide information on leadership, mentorship and networking programs and opportunities for rural youth.
• Promoting the NRYN within the federal government, to the various levels of government, other youth, rural organizations and networks, and policy makers.

• Offering a mechanism where rural youth can ask questions, discuss priority issues in a broad forum, learn about existing tools and programs, exchange success stories and best practices, and take part in the Rural Dialogue.
• Identifying, sharing and promoting information on issues and topics of concern to rural youth across Canada, especially initiatives led by or targeted at youth. This will be done through the posting of youth-related information on the Youth-Dialogue-Jeunesse listserv sponsored by the Rural Secretariat, the Canadian Rural Partnership website, the Rural portal and on other federal government youth-related sites, in addition to attendance at in-person meetings and events..
• Acting as a liaison between the Rural Secretariat and Rural Youth across Canada. The network will share young peoples' opinions and concerns with government and will operate as a sounding board on federal policies, programs and issues targeted at youth. In both cases, it will use grassroots connections in provinces and territories to enable information to flow upwards to government and then disseminate government information to youth organizations in the provinces and territories.

• providing advice to the Rural Secretariat on the planning of the 2003 National Rural Youth Conference and other national rural conferences;
• providing advice and guidance to ensure youth representation from all provinces and territories and from a wide range of backgrounds;
• providing rural youth input to the conferences' objectives, content and materials, thus ensuring that issues of importance to rural youth and concerns voiced by rural youth are taken into consideration in the planning and delivery of the conferences; and
• creating networking opportunities for youth, youth organizations, and potential partners before, during and after the conferences. Developing mentorship approaches and activities involving youth and adults. The network will work to ensure that information stemming from the conference is circulated to NRYN members, rural youth, youth organizations and networks, and to appropriate government departments/agencies across the country. This will ensure continued opportunities for partnership building, leadership development, training, information and sharing success stories.

4- LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES

• advising the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels of government on policy, program and service development to ensure the use of a rural "youth lens" and recognition of all issues affecting youth;
• ensuring that the NRYN is a sustainable initiative and that it continues to provide a unified voice for rural youth;
• encouraging increased partnerships, collaboration and information sharing among youth organizations and agencies, the federal government and young rural Canadians;
• encouraging the community, electronic and mainstream media to create good news stories regarding rural, remote and northern Canada and the contribution of young rural people to their communities.

5- NRYN GOVERNANCE AND COUNCIL STRUCTURE

• The National Rural Youth Network shall be guided by a Board of Directors known as the Council.
• The Council shall consist of 13 principal members and their alternates (1 principal member and 1 alternate per province and territory).
• The Rural Secretariat will be represented by one member from Ottawa and one from the regions.
• Representation from First Nations, Minority Groups (new Canadians and people with disabilities), a balance of gender and language will be sought as the Council is formed.
• The 13 principal members and their alternates shall be selected through an annual process by representatives from every province and territory. A Council will be selected for the first time as follows: the 13 principal members will be selected at the 2003 National Rural Youth Conference (7 for one year, 6 for two years) and will replace the steering committee selected in 2002 at the National Rural Conference. The Council members will select among themselves which members will be in office for one and two years.
• The 13 alternate members will be selected by youth in each province/territory after the Conference. Subsequently, the selection of Council members (principal and alternates) will be done via in-person meetings or, given the impossibility of that, via teleconference or other electronic means.
• Members may be eligible for re-selection once at the end of a term.
• Council positions are open to youth between the ages of 18 and 29 (inclusive) who are residents from provinces and territories and support the aims and principles of the Network.
• The Council will make use of and maintain a regular line of communication among themselves and with NRYN members. Media for communicating include, but is not limited to, e-mail, listserv technology and teleconferencing.
• Council members (with the exception of Past Chairperson) will select the Executive. The Executive shall consist of: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Past Chairperson (after 1st year in existence).
• Geographic, gender, and minority (language and group) representation will be taken into consideration when selecting members of the Executive.
• The term of the Executive is one year.
• Executive members will be responsible for drafting agendas, organizing meetings and conference calls as well as for preparing and distributing minutes to NRYN members. The Rural Secretariat will provide translation of documents and listserv technology.
• The Council will make an effort to meet face to face once a year and shall make an effort to participate in conference calls no less than 8 times a year.
• The decision-making process will be determined by the Council (simple majority or consensus).
• Subcommittees shall be chaired by a Council member.

6- COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIES AND COUNCIL MEMBER ROLES

• Strategies and approaches to ensure that the NRYN is effective and responsive;
• Strategic direction for the NRYN through planning, facilitating, guiding, driving and motivating membership;
• Strategic partnerships and collaborative relationships to ensure the long-term sustainability of the NRYN;
• Annual work plan and budget; and
• Annual activities report by the end of the Council's mandate.

• Seek input from network members from their province/territory on issues as required;
• Support the vision, mandate and core values of the NRYN;
• Allocate the necessary time to participate in Network meetings and undertake work on behalf of the Network;
• Participate in at least one sub-committee of the Network;
• Work with an alternate representative from his/her province/territory to ensure regular contribution and participation in the Network on behalf of the province/territory they represent;
• Keep the alternate representative from his/her province/territory informed of Network activities
• Participate in democratic decision-making processes;
• Work in and promote collaboration among Council members;
• Contribute resources and information from their province/territory and their personal networks to the NRYN as appropriate; and
• Communicate about the work, opportunities and efforts of the Network within their province/territory, ensuring timely information exchange with and among young Canadians.

7- PARTNERSHIPS

• Create opportunities for youth to thrive in and more fully contribute to rural communities;
• Develop and foster opportunities for dialogue and collaboration among rural and urban young Canadians and organizations that have an interest in rural youth;
• Bridge the gap between adults and youth, by fostering an improved relationship that highlights the value of youth and facilitates the contribution of youth to communities;
• Bolster the involvement of rural youth in the social, economic and decision-making processes in rural communities; and
• Develop tools and strategies that provide rural youth with valuable information on organizations, programs and services from which they can benefit.

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