Youth Involvement is a deliberate effort that centers on young peoples' participation in personal, social, institutional, cultural, and other forms of action throughout society.
Successful youth involvement is contingent on both youth and adults understanding and accepting responsibility for building positive relationships, respecting and valuing the other, and contributing to the community as citizens. Organizational, community and state climates that are supportive of youth involvement include the following elements:
Availability of training and tools for youth and adults to build effective partnerships.
Existence of statewide networks of engaged youth that enhance the capacity for young people to learn from each other.
Opportunities for youth to work with adults to set overall policy direction for organizations, institutions and coalitions.
Customized training, technical assistance on the following topics:
Community Youth Forums
Including Youth on Your Board - view a sample of resources.
Youth Master Planning
Developmental Outcomes
Youth Participation
"Selective Sharing" designed for young people
Additional topics as requested
Youth on Board: 15 Points to Involving Youth in Decision-Making
Freechild Reading List on Youth Voice, Involement, Engagement, and Participation throughout Community
Youth Leadership: A Guide to Understanding Leadership Development in Adolescents by Josephine A. van Linden and Carl I. Fertman