Rule of thumb: Pay youth if adults receive pay for the same or equivalent work.
Youth should be paid when serving on a board with adults who serve on the board in their professional capacity. If adult are paid, including because service on the board or council is part of their jobs, then youth should also receive a wage.
Why should organizations pay youth?
Youth do receive several benefits from serving on councils, boards, and the like, including professional networks, valuable experience, and resume or college application material. However, paying youth when adults are paid demonstrates that the organization places equal value on the adults’ and young people’s time, expertise and contributions.
In addition, and perhaps even more importantly, paying youth means that youth don’t have to decide between serving on your board for free or working those hours at a job. For many youth, paid work is a necessity to cover their own expenses and to contribute to the family income. You increase your chances of engaging diverse youth voices if you give youth who need income that opportunity through your board.
For these reasons, organizations may also choose to pay youth even if adults in equivalent positions are not paid or no adults serve in equivalent positions.
This series of FAQ posts covers my answers to common questions about youth engagement.