Mayor Michelle Wu announced today that applications for the 2025-2026 SPARK Boston Council are now open. SPARK Boston is a volunteer leadership and civic engagement council for Boston residents ages 20 to 35. This council is responsible for leading the City’s initiatives aimed at engaging Boston's young adults. Applications are due by June 30, 2025.
“The SPARK Boston Council is vital to our ability to understand the needs of Boston’s young adult community,” send Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am excited to announce that applications for the 2025-2026 council are now open and I encourage our emerging civic leaders to apply to see the impact of their voices heard in the community.”
Under the direction of the SPARK Boston Director Aidan McDonough, the 2025-2026 Council will create programming and advise Boston's leaders to help the city grow as an inviting, connected, culturally rich, and sustainable home for everyone. Throughout the SPARK Boston Council term, participants hear from key members of the Mayor's administration, leaders within City Hall, and community organizations about topics like climate resilience, education, housing, nightlife, and civic innovation.
“After what has been a fun and exciting year of programming to engage Boston’s 20-35 year old residents, it only creates further momentum to recruit a collaborative and motivated SPARK Council for our 2025-2026 cohort,” said SPARK Boston Director Aidan McDonough. “SPARK Boston creates space for young civic leaders to become better engaged at the local level and feel able to advocate for what they hope to see out of our city. SPARK Boston is also an opportunity to build a network and foster connections with young civic leaders across Boston.”
Past council members have come from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds including public service, media, higher education, and scientific research. The SPARK Council meets on the first Monday of each month. Council members are encouraged to attend one community meeting and one SPARK event or subcommittee meeting a month. Applicants must live in Boston, and be willing to commit 15 hours monthly to the SPARK Boston program. SPARK Boston and its previous iteration ONEin3 have now been serving young adults and the City of Boston for over 18 years.
“Every year, our SPARK Boston Council gets stronger thanks to the amazing involvement of community leaders in Boston. Whether it’s volunteering at our annual Civic Summit or discussing ways to improve personal credit, SPARK is all about making our neighborhoods better places to live,” said Chief of Community Engagement, Brianna Millor. “This year, we want council members from every corner of our city to join us! If you're a young adult looking to make a positive impact in your community, we’d love for you to apply to be a part of the 2025-2026 SPARK Boston Council!”
The 2025-2026 SPARK Council will be continuing their work through the end of their term in August, and have already taken part in several opportunities including attending Mayor Wu’s State of the City, volunteering during the Mayor’s Office of Civic Organizing’s Civic Summit, and organizing thousands of toys for Toys for Tots. The 2024-2025 council has continued legacy and signature programming such as: Neighborhood Socials, which are events designed to bring City staff and local leaders into spaces young people already patronize; cultural mixers; and Chief Chats, fireside discussions with cabinet leadership.
“SPARK Boston has encouraged me to embrace new experiences. As a council member, I have participated in various engagements, from assisting Bostonians with mailing their voter registration forms to collaborating with the community to host a panel discussion on period poverty and menstrual innovation,” said Sayyida Jean-Charles, current SPARK Boston Council Member. “If you are looking to get more involved in Boston, it doesn't matter whether you are new to the city or were born and raised here, because as a council member, you will become more civically engaged, expand your network, and most importantly, connect with community members, advocates, and leaders. All you have to do is submit your application!”
“Membership on the SPARK Council is a phenomenal experience for Boston's young citizens who want to better connect with and help support the City and the neighborhoods they love. In my own experience, SPARK provided me with an in-depth look at how the City is running smoothly day-to-day, month-to-month, and year-to-year, and highlighted the multitude of opportunities for civic engagement with every facet of City governance,” said John Ferraro, current SPARK Boston Council Member. “Because of my time on SPARK, I've been able to develop a better sense of how to identify key quality-of-life issues in my neighborhood, build coalitions to address them, and encourage others to do the same. What I'll treasure most of all, however, are the instantaneous friendships made with other members of the SPARK Council; it was an absolute privilege to be able to a part of a community of people who have so much love for the City of Boston and are dedicated with every fiber of their being to ensuring that Boston lives up to its mission as a City for everyone.”
ABOUT SPARK BOSTON
SPARK Boston is housed in the Mayor’s Community Engagement Cabinet. This office is responsible for advising Mayor Wu on issues affecting millennial and gen-z populations and working with City departments and community stakeholders to create innovative solutions. The Council meets monthly with City Hall leaders and creates free programming for their peers and Boston residents including voter resources, events highlighting the City’s on-going initiatives, and professional and social networking opportunities across Boston’s many neighborhoods.
For more information on SPARK Boston programming and initiatives, please visit boston.gov/sparkboston.