Youth Engagement Initiative Advances Sustainable Development Goals in South Dakota

Executive Summary

A report on the South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU) Legislative Educational Retreat, an initiative designed to foster youth leadership and civic engagement. The program provided five young participants with direct exposure to local governance and grassroots policy-making, aligning with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The retreat aimed to cultivate future leaders by connecting them with elected officials and demonstrating processes that contribute to building strong, sustainable communities.

Program Objectives and Alignment with SDGs

The SDFU educational program was structured to provide a comprehensive learning experience, directly supporting the following global goals:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education: The retreat offered a vital, non-formal educational opportunity, promoting lifelong learning by instructing adolescents on civic processes and policy development. The program’s stated goal is to equip the future generation with the knowledge and experience necessary for leadership, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By facilitating direct engagement with municipal and county leaders, the program enhanced participants’ understanding of how local governments work to create inclusive, safe, and resilient communities. A key takeaway for participant Chord Blotsky was the importance of considered decision-making in urban and community management.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The initiative actively contributes to building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions by encouraging youth participation in civic life. Observing the SDFU’s policy meeting allowed teens to witness how grassroots efforts can shape policy, a fundamental aspect of responsive and representative governance.

Key Activities and Outcomes

The two-day agenda included a multifaceted curriculum focused on governance, policy, and local economic systems.

Engagement with Local Government Institutions

• Participants engaged in discussions with Mayor Jordan Hanson of Mitchell and Davison County Commissioner John Claggett.
• This interaction provided valuable insights into the operational responsibilities of local government and the complexities of community-focused decision-making, a cornerstone of achieving SDG 11 and SDG 16.
• The dialogue was designed to demystify governance and inspire civic ambition among the youth.

Participation in Grassroots Policy Development

• Youth attended the South Dakota Farmers Union Annual Policy Meeting as observers.
• This activity served as a practical demonstration of grassroots democracy, illustrating how community members can identify local issues and propose policy solutions.
• This exposure is critical for fostering an understanding of and trust in public institutions, directly supporting the objectives of SDG 16.

Exposure to Local Sustainable Economies

• The itinerary included educational tours of local enterprises, such as Performance Pet, a pet food manufacturer, and Farmlife Creamery.
• These tours offered a perspective on local economic drivers, manufacturing, and value chains, touching upon themes related to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

SDGs Addressed in the Article

The issues highlighted in the article, primarily focusing on youth education in civic engagement and local governance, are connected to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Specific SDG Targets Identified

SDG 4: Quality Education

The article directly relates to SDG 4 by describing an educational initiative for young people.

1. Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
   • Explanation: The “SDFU Legislative Educational Retreat” is explicitly designed to “educate teens about grassroots policy development and civic engagement.” This initiative provides young learners like Chord Blotsky with the knowledge and skills for active citizenship and community leadership, which are fundamental components of education for sustainable development. The article states the goal is for youth to “understand what it means to be involved in their communities.”

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The core theme of the article is the engagement of youth with local government institutions, which is central to SDG 16.

1. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
   • Explanation: The program encourages future participation in local governance. By having teens meet with the mayor and a county commissioner, it demystifies the roles of public officials and promotes the idea of civic participation. The article highlights that youth “got to see members discuss local issues and propose policy to address them,” which is a direct reference to participatory policy development and decision-making at the grassroots level.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The event described is a collaborative effort, which aligns with the principles of SDG 17.

1. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • Explanation: The educational retreat is a clear example of a partnership between a civil society organization (South Dakota Farmers Union – SDFU) and public institutions (the Mayor of Mitchell and a Davison County Commissioner). The SDFU, a grassroots organization, collaborated with elected officials to create an educational opportunity for youth, demonstrating an effective civil society-public partnership aimed at fostering the next generation of leaders.

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

Indicators for SDG 4, Target 4.7

• Indicator: The existence of educational programs and the number of youth participating in them.
  • Explanation: The article explicitly mentions the “SDFU Legislative Educational Retreat” as the program. It also quantifies the participants in this specific instance, stating, “Blotsky was one of five South Dakota youth to meet with Hanson.” This suggests that the number of participants in such civic education programs can be used as a measure of progress.

Indicators for SDG 16, Target 16.7

• Indicator: The number of opportunities created for youth to engage with public officials and participate in policy discussions.
  • Explanation: The article implies this indicator by describing the activities of the retreat. The youth “got to meet with Hanson,” “meet with Davison County Commissioner John Claggett,” and “sit in on SDFU Annual Policy Meeting.” These events are concrete examples of opportunities for engagement that can be tracked to measure progress towards more inclusive and participatory institutions.

Indicators for SDG 17, Target 17.17

• Indicator: The number and nature of partnerships between civil society organizations and public institutions for development purposes.
  • Explanation: The article describes a partnership between the South Dakota Farmers Union and local government officials. The existence of this collaboration to achieve an educational and civic goal serves as a qualitative indicator of effective partnerships being formed and implemented.

Summary of Findings

Source: mitchellrepublic.com