Question 1 · Extended Writing Task
30 marksMany young people in your local community feel that their voices are not heard by local authorities and that there are few opportunities for social engagement. You want to propose a new youth council or a community-led youth volunteer program to address this.
Write a text in which you explain the current disconnect between youth and local decision-makers, propose a specific initiative to increase young people's social engagement, and outline the benefits this would bring to both the youth and the wider community.
Choose the most appropriate text type from the following options:
- **Proposal**
- **Letter to the editor**
- **Blog post**
Write 450–600 words.
Write a text in which you explain the current disconnect between youth and local decision-makers, propose a specific initiative to increase young people's social engagement, and outline the benefits this would bring to both the youth and the wider community.
Choose the most appropriate text type from the following options:
- **Proposal**
- **Letter to the editor**
- **Blog post**
Write 450–600 words.
Show answer & marking schemeHide answer & marking scheme
Worked solution
### Model Response (Text Type: Proposal)
**To:** The Oakwood District Municipality Council
**From:** Elena Vance, Youth Representative, Oakwood Youth Coalition
**Date:** October 24, 2023
**Subject:** Proposal for the Establishment of a Municipal Youth Advisory Council
#### 1. Introduction and Objectives
The purpose of this proposal is to address the growing civic disconnect among Oakwood’s young residents and to request the formal establishment of a Municipal Youth Advisory Council (MYAC). Currently, individuals aged 15 to 24 represent over twenty percent of our local population, yet their voices remain conspicuously absent from municipal decision-making processes. This proposal outlines the nature of this disconnect, presents a structured framework for the MYAC initiative, and highlights the shared benefits for both our youth and the wider community.
#### 2. The Current Disconnect
In recent years, a palpable sense of apathy and alienation has developed among local youth. A survey conducted by the Oakwood Youth Coalition indicated that 82% of respondents feel their perspectives on local public transit, recreational facilities, and environmental sustainability are ignored by local authorities. Because there are no formal pathways for youth participation, young residents are increasingly disengaged from local civic processes, leading to a loss of valuable community perspectives and a decline in local volunteerism.
#### 3. Proposed Initiative: The Municipal Youth Advisory Council (MYAC)
To bridge this divide, we propose the creation of the MYAC, a non-partisan advisory body consisting of fifteen student and working youth representatives aged 15–21, selected through an open application process.
* **Mandate:** The MYAC will serve as a consulting body for the Municipal Council, offering formal feedback on municipal bylaws, environmental programs, and community planning that directly impact young citizens.
* **Meetings:** The council will convene monthly in the public library conference room. These meetings will be run under basic parliamentary procedures to foster democratic skills.
* **Community Forums:** Twice a year, the MYAC will host open youth forums where any young person in the district can voice concerns directly to district councilors.
#### 4. Shared Benefits
Implementing the MYAC will yield substantial, reciprocal benefits:
* **For the Youth:** Participating in the MYAC will cultivate vital leadership, public speaking, and policy analysis skills. It transforms passive citizens into active agents of social engagement.
* **For the Wider Community:** The municipal council will gain direct access to a demographic that is highly creative, digitally literate, and deeply concerned about future sustainability. Moreover, MYAC-organized volunteering projects will mobilize hundreds of young people to revitalize local parks and support eldercare programs, fostering intergenerational solidarity.
#### 5. Conclusion
Young people do not lack the desire to contribute; they lack the platform. By establishing the Municipal Youth Advisory Council, Oakwood has the opportunity to lead by example, proving that it values the contributions of its youngest citizens. We urge the Municipal Council to approve this initiative and allocate a preliminary budget for its launch in the upcoming fiscal year.
**To:** The Oakwood District Municipality Council
**From:** Elena Vance, Youth Representative, Oakwood Youth Coalition
**Date:** October 24, 2023
**Subject:** Proposal for the Establishment of a Municipal Youth Advisory Council
#### 1. Introduction and Objectives
The purpose of this proposal is to address the growing civic disconnect among Oakwood’s young residents and to request the formal establishment of a Municipal Youth Advisory Council (MYAC). Currently, individuals aged 15 to 24 represent over twenty percent of our local population, yet their voices remain conspicuously absent from municipal decision-making processes. This proposal outlines the nature of this disconnect, presents a structured framework for the MYAC initiative, and highlights the shared benefits for both our youth and the wider community.
#### 2. The Current Disconnect
In recent years, a palpable sense of apathy and alienation has developed among local youth. A survey conducted by the Oakwood Youth Coalition indicated that 82% of respondents feel their perspectives on local public transit, recreational facilities, and environmental sustainability are ignored by local authorities. Because there are no formal pathways for youth participation, young residents are increasingly disengaged from local civic processes, leading to a loss of valuable community perspectives and a decline in local volunteerism.
#### 3. Proposed Initiative: The Municipal Youth Advisory Council (MYAC)
To bridge this divide, we propose the creation of the MYAC, a non-partisan advisory body consisting of fifteen student and working youth representatives aged 15–21, selected through an open application process.
* **Mandate:** The MYAC will serve as a consulting body for the Municipal Council, offering formal feedback on municipal bylaws, environmental programs, and community planning that directly impact young citizens.
* **Meetings:** The council will convene monthly in the public library conference room. These meetings will be run under basic parliamentary procedures to foster democratic skills.
* **Community Forums:** Twice a year, the MYAC will host open youth forums where any young person in the district can voice concerns directly to district councilors.
#### 4. Shared Benefits
Implementing the MYAC will yield substantial, reciprocal benefits:
* **For the Youth:** Participating in the MYAC will cultivate vital leadership, public speaking, and policy analysis skills. It transforms passive citizens into active agents of social engagement.
* **For the Wider Community:** The municipal council will gain direct access to a demographic that is highly creative, digitally literate, and deeply concerned about future sustainability. Moreover, MYAC-organized volunteering projects will mobilize hundreds of young people to revitalize local parks and support eldercare programs, fostering intergenerational solidarity.
#### 5. Conclusion
Young people do not lack the desire to contribute; they lack the platform. By establishing the Municipal Youth Advisory Council, Oakwood has the opportunity to lead by example, proving that it values the contributions of its youngest citizens. We urge the Municipal Council to approve this initiative and allocate a preliminary budget for its launch in the upcoming fiscal year.
Marking scheme
### Marking Scheme (Total: 30 Marks)
#### **Criterion A: Language (12 Marks)**
* **9–12 marks:** Command of the language is very effective. Highly accurate and varied vocabulary, register is consistently appropriate for the chosen text type (e.g., formal and objective for a proposal). Complex sentence structures are used successfully with few errors.
* **5–8 marks:** Command of the language is generally effective. Vocabulary is appropriate but occasionally repetitive. Some complex structures are attempted with mixed success. Register is generally appropriate.
* **1–4 marks:** Command of the language is limited. Frequent grammatical errors impede meaning. Register is inappropriate or inconsistent.
#### **Criterion B: Message (12 Marks)**
* **9–12 marks:** The message is fully developed, coherent, and highly organized. The candidate successfully explains the current disconnect, proposes a concrete initiative (such as a youth council or volunteer program), and details benefits for both youth and the community. The text is 450–600 words.
* **5–8 marks:** The message is mostly developed and coherent. Some aspects of the prompt (e.g., the benefits or the specific details of the initiative) are treated superficially. The structure is generally logical but could be more cohesive.
* **1–4 marks:** The response is disorganized, lacks detail, or misses key parts of the prompt. Word count may fall significantly short of the 450-word minimum.
#### **Criterion C: Conceptual Understanding (6 Marks)**
* **5–6 marks:** The chosen text type is highly appropriate. If a **Proposal** is chosen, it includes formal conventions (To/From/Date/Subject, clear headings, bullet points, persuasive and formal tone). If a **Letter to the editor** is chosen, it includes a formal salutation/sign-off, references a specific public concern, and maintains an engaging, persuasive tone. If a **Blog post** is chosen, it features an engaging title, first-person perspective, interactive cues (comments section invitation), and structured layout.
* **3–4 marks:** The text type is recognizable, but some conventions are missing or applied inconsistently (e.g., a proposal written as a generic essay without headings or metadata).
* **1–2 marks:** The text type is inappropriate or lacks almost all necessary structural and stylistic conventions.
#### **Criterion A: Language (12 Marks)**
* **9–12 marks:** Command of the language is very effective. Highly accurate and varied vocabulary, register is consistently appropriate for the chosen text type (e.g., formal and objective for a proposal). Complex sentence structures are used successfully with few errors.
* **5–8 marks:** Command of the language is generally effective. Vocabulary is appropriate but occasionally repetitive. Some complex structures are attempted with mixed success. Register is generally appropriate.
* **1–4 marks:** Command of the language is limited. Frequent grammatical errors impede meaning. Register is inappropriate or inconsistent.
#### **Criterion B: Message (12 Marks)**
* **9–12 marks:** The message is fully developed, coherent, and highly organized. The candidate successfully explains the current disconnect, proposes a concrete initiative (such as a youth council or volunteer program), and details benefits for both youth and the community. The text is 450–600 words.
* **5–8 marks:** The message is mostly developed and coherent. Some aspects of the prompt (e.g., the benefits or the specific details of the initiative) are treated superficially. The structure is generally logical but could be more cohesive.
* **1–4 marks:** The response is disorganized, lacks detail, or misses key parts of the prompt. Word count may fall significantly short of the 450-word minimum.
#### **Criterion C: Conceptual Understanding (6 Marks)**
* **5–6 marks:** The chosen text type is highly appropriate. If a **Proposal** is chosen, it includes formal conventions (To/From/Date/Subject, clear headings, bullet points, persuasive and formal tone). If a **Letter to the editor** is chosen, it includes a formal salutation/sign-off, references a specific public concern, and maintains an engaging, persuasive tone. If a **Blog post** is chosen, it features an engaging title, first-person perspective, interactive cues (comments section invitation), and structured layout.
* **3–4 marks:** The text type is recognizable, but some conventions are missing or applied inconsistently (e.g., a proposal written as a generic essay without headings or metadata).
* **1–2 marks:** The text type is inappropriate or lacks almost all necessary structural and stylistic conventions.