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Landing Page About
For over sixty years, NRECA has partnered with electric cooperatives nationwide to attract, engage and retain the next generation of cooperative leaders through our Youth Programs. From the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to the Youth Leadership Council to scholarships to internships to the co-op board room, our youth programs span almost a decade of intentional engagement with future co-op leaders. But we can’t do it alone—we need your help!
This resource hub is designed to help you recruit future applicants, keep them engaged when they return from Washington, D.C. and retain them in the cooperative network for generations.
Have a question? For general questions about NRECA’s Youth Programs or this resource hub, you can email Cale McCall, NRECA’s Youth Programs Manager, at YouthPrograms@NRECA.coop.
Learn more about our Youth Programs below.
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Top Content
The following resources are divided into three categories: attract, engage and retain. This division is designed to help you easily access the needed materials for whatever stage of the Youth Programs cycle you are in. Need a resource but don’t see it below? Feel free to send us an email and will work on adding it for everyone!
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Program Resources
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- 2024/2025 Youth Tour Communication Toolkit - Everything you need to promote Youth Tour in your community, from talking points to customizable graphics.
- Youth Programs General PowerPoint - Download a ready-to-use presentation that introduces NRECA’s Youth Programs and how to get involved.
- General Youth Tour Social Toolkit (Copy, Images) - Share the excitement of Youth Tour with two easy-to-use posts and prewritten captions designed for any platform.
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[accordion title="Engage"]
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Youth Tour Social Channels - Follow and tag @NRECAYouthTourDC on Instagram and Facebook to stay connected and amplify your delegation’s experience.
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Best Practices for Engagement - Practical tips from Mississippi Youth Programs on how to keep your students energized and involved before, during and after the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour.
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Best Practices for Retainment - Proven strategies from across the network to help alumni stay connected with co-ops after Youth Tour ends. This new one-pager focuses on Oklahoma's Youth Ambassador Program.
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Social Posts: Internships (copy,
graphics) and Glenn English Scholarship (copy,
graphics) - Promote real-world opportunities for students with shareable content featuring co-op internships and scholarship info.
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Youth Tour Alumni at Electric.coop - Explore the growing Youth Tour alumni network—and stay tuned for a new form to help former delegates stay in the loop!
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One-Pagers for Alumni Program - Access downloadable one-pagers that highlight ongoing leadership and career opportunities for Youth Tour alumni.
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Youth Leadership Council
Serving on the Youth Leadership Council is an honor for both the delegate and the sponsoring cooperative. This yearlong program helps prepare leaders through leadership, teamwork, collaboration and advocacy. Use the resources below to answer commonly asked questions and get an overview of expectations for both the delegate and co-op. For questions, please email Cale McCall, the Program Manager for the Youth Leadership Council.
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Top Links Description
This toolkit includes promotional materials using this year’s theme, Empower. These resources are refreshed annually.
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With over 30+ state Youth Tour programs, Directors and Coordinators, several innovative and effective strategies and tools have been developed to help attract, engage and retain young leaders. The resources below highlight some of the most effective, though not exhaustive, engagement strategies from state-wide associations. Explore the tools, find what works for your program and feel free to admire and acquire to help build your youth programs. You can find each resource's program contact listed below if you have a question.
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South Carolina has created a centralized interest form where local electric cooperatives can direct students when applications aren’t yet open. This form captures their contact information right away, allowing the statewide association to follow up and send the application directly once it becomes available.
How could this work for you? Consider creating a similar local interest form so you always have a place to send curious students, no matter the time of year, and a way to stay connected with them for future opportunities.[/tab]
[tab title="Youth%20Tour%20Postcards"]
A key part of Youth Tour is helping delegates build lasting connections—with both the stakeholders they met in D.C. and those supporting them back home. Arizona has created custom Youth Tour postcards that delegates fill out during the trip, which are then mailed to key stakeholders.
How could this work for you? Consider giving your delegates postcards to write to your Board of Directors, Co-op Coordinators, and other important contacts. It’s a simple but meaningful way to reinforce the value of the program and give delegates a chance to express appreciation and build new connections.[/tab]
[tab title="Youth%20Programs%20Poster"]
In today’s fast-paced digital world, it’s important to meet delegates where they are, and that starts with eye-catching visuals. Check out this example from Dixie Electric in Mississippi: a poster that lays out the full timeline of their Youth Programs in one place.
How could this work for you? Consider partnering with your statewide or creative team to design a poster that highlights your key youth engagement opportunities—from local programs and statewide events to the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in D.C. It’s a great way to promote participation and keep students informed year-round.[/tab]
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As highlighted in the “Retain” section, Oklahoma has launched a robust follow-up initiative called the OAEC Youth Ambassador Program. This program keeps delegates engaged with their local co-op, statewide association, and NRECA long after they return from D.C.—while also increasing the visibility of Youth Programs as ambassadors share their experiences with peers.
See the full list of requirements here.
How could this work for you? Consider starting a local version by inviting your Youth Tour delegates to speak at your Annual Meeting or present to your Board of Directors. It’s a simple yet powerful way to encourage continued engagement and showcase the long-term impact of the Youth Tour experience.[/tab]
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