Young Planners

Mission

The Young Planners Group (YPG) is a new addition to the APA. This group identifies young planners who have finished school and entered the profession, up to age 35. As the future leaders of the planning profession, the YPG sees a greater role for networking to discuss important issues such as career development, moving into management positions, and balancing careers and families. Goals include organizing mixers, a mentoring program, and identifying other programs of interest to young planners.

The Young Planners Group was established in 2009 to provide opportunities for professional development for early career planners and recent planning graduates. The YPG provides a forum for networking, learning new skills and establishing social and professional relationships with both peers and experienced professionals in planning and related fields. Since 2009, the YPG has hosted social events, organized walking tours and site visits, developed a mentorship program and established the Youth In Planning outreach program. The YPG has three subcommittees focused on organizing social and professional development events, coordinating the annual mentorship program and organizing the Youth In Planning program. The NY Metro Chapter’s Young Planners Group has been a model for the development of similar groups in other APA chapters and continues to be recognized at the national level. For more information about the Young Planners Group please contact the Committee Chair at ypg@nyplanning.org.

Events

YPG is focused on providing young planners with opportunities to share their experiences and learn about new developments in the field. Our regular social events, particularly our happy hours, are popular ways for planners new to the professional world to make informal connections and gain a better understanding of the variety of planning issues in New York City from their peers. YPG plans to expand its offering of events that will provide young planners opportunities for professional development, including networking with senior APA members and cross-discipline networking with professional groups in related fields such as architecture. Planned events include a trivia night (for planners preparing for the AICP exam) and tours of new and exciting developments in the city such as the Lowline. For more information, or to volunteer with the Events Subcommittee, please contact Committee Chair at ypg@nyplanning.org.

Mentorship

The YPG Mentorship Subcommittee coordinates the NY Metro Chapter’s annual Mentorship Program. The program enables experienced practitioners to share their professional experience with new planners, creating partnerships that allow participants to discuss the planning profession on an informal, ongoing basis. The objectives of the Mentorship Program are to assist new planners transition into the profession through the creation of a professional network, and to provide a professional development opportunity for practicing planners. For more information, or to express your interest in serving as a mentor or mentee in the next round of the program, please contact the President at ypgmentorship@gmail.com.

Outreach

The goal of the Outreach Subcommittee is to encourage youth to engage in their communities through planning-related events and activities. In the past four years, the Outreach Subcommittee has developed the Youth In Planning (YIP) program, a youth-centered experiential learning program, supported by a network of organizations and professionals, that engages high school students in urban and community planning projects. The program forms a bridge of knowledge between practicing planners and youth, allowing both groups to educate and learn from each other. Youth engage in the planning process, gain knowledge and professional skills, and learn about planning-related career paths. Further, the YIP projects allow youth to develop leadership skills within communities where youth leadership can affect real change. YIP is supported by a growing network of volunteers, including graduate planning students and professional planners. Graduate students receive internship credit, and professionals can receive Continuing Education credits. Organizations needing to fulfill grant requirements can partner with YIP to collaborate on programs. For more information about YIP, please contact Committee Chair at ypg@nyplanning.org.