Wendy S. Lesko

Unlock Knowledge of Those Impacted by the Juvenile Justice System

What happens when authoritative energy is replaced by authentic intergenerational symbiosis.

“The real crime lies in how society views us.”

This indictment by a young individual cited in a report by the Shelby County Youth Council in Memphis stings because it is true.

Activists of all ages in Shelby County have no illusions about dislodging deep systemic racism but they demonstrate increasing impatience about how minors are mistreated in the largest county in Tennessee.

Salina Shamsuddin with the Youth Justice Action Council did not mince words with me when talking about how grownups need to behave.

It’s oppressive to call us children and kids because it has a negative connotation that is not empowering to us so we’d like to be referred to as youth … Catching them [adults] and standing up for ourselves is one of the biggest things that work and people really understand they cannot treat us like this anymore.

The Youth Justice Action Council (YJAC) centers its work on those impacted by the juvenile justice system in Memphis. At age 14 Crystal Oceja, whose “brother didn’t get treated with humanity,” helped develop 10 legal demands in its “Break the Chains” written petition and rap version. YJAC used these specific demands in its campaign to defeat the District Attorney and Juvenile Court Judge who tried many Black and Brown youth as adults.

Following this victory, the Youth Justice Action Council hosted a forum for the newly elected Judge, DA and law enforcement. In small groups, two YJAC members shared their firsthand stories about the juvenile justice system and one of the other Council members facilitated. Adults were told not to interrupt or interrogate. Another one of the facilitators, Milana Kuma emphasized

… the need to center on the experiences of systems impacted youth as opposed to just recommendations. It’s harder to invalidate when they [DA and others] are faced with the trauma they have caused and cannot distance themselves.

Marshawn Jenison, 16, summed up: “I feel good about actually being heard. Nothing negative back. They are trying to understand how we really feel and what is really going on.”

One Youth Justice Action Council representative serves on the five-member Shelby Countywide Juvenile Justice Consortium, all appointed by the Mayor. This is not a token position. In fact, this rep and the YJAC have credibility and clout plus strong rapport with the adult members.

I don’t think we’ve ever made a decision that has not had a youth voice…They are our checks and balances. We are really led by them.
Rebecca Davis, Chair of Countywide Juvenile Justice Consortium

The Youth Justice Action Council is sponsored by Stand for Children Tennessee, which advocates for racial justice and improving public education. A 100-year-old organization in Memphis, appropriately named Bridges USA, lives and breathes by its deep commitment to youth-adult equity. Crystal, now 16, captures this rare intergenerational symbiosis.

The adults approach you with no authoritative energy. They are very open. They are cool. They check in. They don’t force you to do anything.

There’s a bit of disbelief that systemic change can actually happen. Even with the horrific murder by police of Tyre Nichols, the recent election fuels the determination of these young advocates erase the superpredator view that Mike Males debunks in The Terrifying Plunge of Youth Crime published at YouthFacts.org.

Recap:

Bridges USA

Countywide Juvenile Justice Commission

Shelby County Youth Council Youth Voice Report

Stand for Children Tennessee

YouthFacts.org

Youth Justice Action Council

Photo Credit: ABC24

Vital Responses to “Youth Voices”

How decision makers can go the extra mile by listening to those under age 18 and then take action.

Community listening sessions and summits held by policymakers can provide valuable clues about systemic problems and generate pragmatic remedies. If ideas receive a perfunctory thank you and no followup discussion occurs, the lack of response can cement cynicism.

“Youth voice” is today’s mantra for encouraging teens to speak up but this high school student expresses deep frustration felt by many aspiring change agents.

“I think the biggest challenge we face is not being heard. I have encountered adults who ask us what is wrong or what do you need, and they say ‘I hear you.’ But they don’t do anything. It’s a fake presence. It’s fake love. ‘I’m here for you,’ but not really”. – Keyon Williams, Anacostia High School
Source: Whose responsible for D.C. violence? Ask the youths closest to it. Courtland Milloy, Washington Post 1/17/23

Decision makers have a tough job being responsive to the multitude of grievances and solutions offered by people from all walks of life. The powers-that-be have to go the extra mile to keep the dialogue going with people under age 18 because most of these non-voters don’t see the value in sharing their insights because their ideas are not valued.

Premeditated Inclusion!

Intentional commitments and accountability are essential to replace performative acts of youth engagement. This is new and not easy. We are watching events unfold in Rhode Island with the hope that this time serious and sustained collaboration with public school students happens. Specific advice is noted below that is relevant to any adult-run organization that is ready to engage in radical inclusion with those most impacted and furthest from power.

The newly elected Mayor Brett Smiley pledged to address the ongoing crisis of the Providence Public School District that continues to be under state control. During his first week in office, he held a three-hour education listening session. This forum can be seen on the UPriseRI channel.

Smiley’s opening remarks thanked parents, teachers, advocates and many policymakers for participating in this event. Make sure to mention the primary stakeholders – those who spend 35 hours a week in the classroom.

Following breakout sessions, each group reported highlights of their discussion. Often at many public hearings where decision makers look at their cell phones, engage in side conversations or leave the room. Mayor Smiley appeared attentive during the presentations by Jayliana and Kim, two high school students pictured above.

Several Recommendations

MENTAL HEALTH – redirect the funds earmarked for police in schools to provide more support for counselors

ADA – install ramps in schools and do not require a doctor’s note for a student to use an elevator

AFTER SCHOOL LEARNING – provide stipends and advertise these opportunities

DISTRICT-WIDE STUDENT COUNCIL – identify and address disparities and “center youth voices, reach out to youth and tell them that we’re here to listen”

The friendly MC for this first event held by the Mayor praised the students for sticking to the time limit and urged the other breakout groups to follow their example. Not a single word was uttered by anyone on stage about the substance of the issues they raised. Decision makers have to go out of their way to prove they are listening and hearing what young people are saying and then they must promise to wrestle with those ideas. Students, who decide to invest their time and expertise, have to be met with genuine respect and open minds.

Prior to this Education Workshop, the Mayor received a letter of demands by the Providence Student Union. One might think this youth-led advocacy organization would have given up on the powers-that-be and they even use the words “multi-generational collaboration.”

We at the Providence Student Union believe in multi-generational collaboration. Improving our school system cannot come at the expense of those currently attending these spaces every day and cannot happen without working together with those who hold various roles in our community.
Providence Student Union letter to Mayor Brett Smiley

Will the Mayor and his administration commit to a timetable?

Will he announce concrete steps to put in place a structure in response to these two specific proposals for a district-wide student council and a working group with all stakeholders?

Will students be involved in designing how these groups will operate?

Will there be dedicated staff to communicate and convene regularly with these groups?

Will there be workshops where the adults and students create norms that ensure everyone shares the mic and is on an equal footing?

Heed the advice of this recent Providence Public School District graduate who is one of my best teachers:

Why do adults ask us to be open-minded when they don’t rethink what they believe? – Milly Asherov, Classical High School Class of 2022 and long-term leader with the Providence Student Union

Please Share How You Are Going the Extra Mile!

Additional Reading

Climate Conference No Longer Childless

What can a small organization or mammoth institution learn from the massive youth-propelled climate action movement that demands real decision-making participation?

At the COP27 in Egypt, young climate activists continue to fight efforts to be co-opted [pun intended] by token inclusion by the bloated United Nations bureaucracy. But other advocates have been demanding an inside track and this year’s global conference marks the first time that youth have an official platform.

The new Children and Youth Pavilion is similar to mega-booths by countries to exhibit their green priorities and engage prominent government leaders in policy discussions.

This structural change can be traced to the Paris Agreement Article 12 Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) which demands countries must empower people to be part of the solution to the climate crisis.

One of the key negotiators believes their Children and Youth Pavilion lays the foundation and “acknowledges power” but she is not naive.

Politicians coming to this space taking photos — not necessarily taking the time to ask what’s going on — are an example of what happens in negotiations when you come to COP.

Halley Campbell, Co-Lead ACE

The uncompromising climate strikers outside COP27 including protestors from the Global South undoubtedly pushed the powers-that-be to provide insider status to what might be described as a more compliant group of young activists.

“We need to create a mechanism of interaction.”
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

This reckoning and commitment signal the verdict that adult-run institutions must end the automatic exclusion of an entire segment of the population – especially those under age 18.

Scale, Strategic Savvy + Staying Power

Since the youngest generations rank the climate crisis among their top concerns and they will be impacted for many more years than any other age group, here is one trend line. The scale of their global network, their strategic savvy, and their staying power affirm this seismic shift.

Youth “Competence” is a Game Changer suggests that when adults learn about the civic leadership of individual young people, their attitudes replace tired stereotypes with more positive opinions of Generation Z.

Notice this term appears in this June 2022 article, Climate Competence: Youth Climate Activism and Its Impact on International Human Rights Law.

Children and young people have demonstrated in the sphere of climate activism extraordinary competence in relation to climate science, online activism and media communication . . .They are shifting the human-centric, highly procedural arena of international human rights law towards an approach which better encompasses person-environment connections.
Professor Aoife Daly, University College Cork, Ireland

The Children and Youth Pavilion at COP27 has its own magnetic field that introduces new ways of interacting with people of all ages and positions of power. This intergenerational synergy offers clues to any organization that recognizes this is a win-win for full-scale problem solving.

Additional Resources:

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE)
Boost Your Org’s Talent Pool
Climate Competence: Youth Climate Activism and Its Impact on International Human Rights Law
Climate Youth Negotiators Programme
COP27 – UN Climate Change Conference
Leading Thinkers Rely on Young Minds
Pew Research Center – Gen Z, Millennials Stands Out for Climate Change
YOUNGO – Youth Constituency of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Are You trying to figure out how to build the structures to infuse Teens in your organization? Reach out to US!

Do You Have These 10 Critical Character Traits?

Building a collegial partnership with teens is altogether different from the traditional power dynamics so common with a parent, educator, or authority figure.

When introducing the concept of infusing teens into various organizational operations, the flood of reactions from most adults is predictably negative.

My nephew is obsessed with online gaming.

My friend’s 16-year-old daughter is so lazy and clueless.

These kids don’t want to have anything to do with us.

This crime wave . . . I’m scared of them.

Adults must take off their hat as a parent, aunt, educator or other authority figure to see each young person as an individual. To unlock the minds of the rising generation to imagine a better society, analyze problems, and develop strategies to pursue real change together, the responsibility rests with adults to demonstrate authentic respect and build genuine rapport. A collegial partnership is altogether different from the power dynamics so common with a mom or dad, teacher or principal, etc.

Encourage us. Build on our ideas. That gives us the confidence we need. – Melissa K.

Essential Soft Skills for Sustained Collaboration

Optimist – Hold onto hope as the antidote to cynicism
Listener – Develop a “Third Ear” to be open to new thinking
Learner – Keep your imagination faucet open
Advocate – Share your own pragmatic idealism
Communicator – Text or talk 1:1 outside of meetings
Comedian – Joke and laugh
Infomaniac – Explain relevant organizational efforts and future plans
Choreographer – Connect teens with other staff and organizations
Honest Broker – Establish feedback loops to respond to ideas
Catalyst – Implement proposals as quickly as possible to show change happens

The passing of my very dear friend and wonderful colleague inspired this list of character traits. Pat Moore Harbour, PhD possessed them all. She served as the catalyst for my involvement with one of the Kettering Foundation’s Research Learning Exchanges that builds off her book, Community Educators: A Resource for Educating and Developing Our Youth.

Contagious Curiosity

Given my dogmatic and persistent nature, I challenge the prevailing mindset of adults doing “to” and “for” youth. Pat and I had dozens of conversations where she showed such respect and curiosity about my approach that young people be recognized as wise community educators, influencing their peers as well as adults and the community at large. Instead of viewing youth as “under construction,” we often talked about our kinship with older colleagues who are committed to anti-ageist multi-racial collaboration.

When discussing the concept of youth infusion – especially those under age 18 – in adult-run nonprofits and government agencies, Pat always was intrigued and honest. Her sense of possibility led her to emphasize the role of young people as “co-producers.” She embraced collaboration “with” youth – the key preposition and title of the recent book by David Mathews, founder of the Kettering Foundation (read more about WITH here).

I was eager to discuss with Pat these two studies that conclude most adults lack her curiosity and interest in intergenerational interdependence. She would have shared her contagious optimistic outlook.

Youngism: The Content, Causes and Consequences of Prejudices toward Young People – Greater understanding of young-targeted ageism is necessary in “our increasingly multigenerational and aging world — one that is ever dependent on the solvency and viability of its youngest members.”

What Goes Down When Advice Goes Up: Younger Advisers Underestimate Their Impact – “Common wisdom suggests that older is wiser. Consequently, people rarely give advice to older individuals — even when they are relatively more expert — leading to missed learning opportunities.”

Every conversation with Pat was a joy. Children laugh 300 times a day and the average for adults drops to only 15. She had me laughing and rethinking all the time.

Many of my closest friends and colleagues are not open to this concept of engaging with teens as genuine thought partners but I will not give up because of Pat’s spirit that will endure. How fortunate I am to carry Pat in my head and heart!

Photo credit: Dr. Pat Moore Harbour

Youth Civic Engagement Surges Outside the Classroom

Teens are leapfrogging over old modes of civic participation which translates into an opportunity for organizations to collaborate with this rising generation.

With the start of a new school year, it’s the norm for students to advocate for change in the real world – outside of school. This snapshot of the past two decades reveals this trend away from the classroom. These trends are relevant for community-based groups and coalitions, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to collaborate with this rising generation of problem solvers.

Estimates of youth civic engagement – which is challenging to describe and define – hover around 25 percent, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement. The figure is lower for young people of color and those living in rural areas, which may be closer to the level of participation by many other age groups.

Twenty-Year Trends and Where They Lead

TRADITIONAL VOLUNTEERISM – Established activities such as clothing drives and “Make A Difference” campaigns remain popular, reflected by the movement popularized by Thousand Points of Light.
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS – Propelled by passage of the federal law establishing the Corporation for National Service, high schools began to integrate community service into the K-12 curriculum in the late 1990s.
“SERVICE LEARNING” – Some states require students to perform a certain number of hours in order to graduate. In many school districts, a student’s project monitoring stream pollution or volunteering at a shelter may lead to sustained community involvement.
“ACTION CIVICS”– Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the first two states to enact legislation mandating civics for graduation that ask school districts to encourage student-initiated real world projects.
YOUTH JOURNALISTS – Before cell phones, cheap disposable cameras proved to be a powerful tool. Organizations like Critical Exposure introduced “photovoice” where students document the good, the bad and the ugly in their schools and neighborhoods.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS – When cell phones with cameras arrived, the digital revolution crowded out many traditional volunteer activities and accelerated the movement towards “teen power” and “agents of change.” Social media platforms enabled young people to operate outside school-sanctioned activities.
EXTRACURRICULAR CLUBS – The growth in volunteerism and activism has led to dozens of clubs at large high schools, many of which experiment with non-hierarchical structures unlike traditional organizations such as student government. To increase their autonomy, some students move off campus to pursue their projects and campaigns.
YOUTH-LED, ADULT-SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES – Steady growth continues among local community-based organizations to promote positive youth development and provide many opportunities for aspiring change makers.
AUTONOMOUS YOUTH-DRIVEN CAMPAIGNS – Another path is those teens, who regard their school culture or a community-based organization as too confining or hierarchical, strike out on their own. Real world action is overtaking mock leadership programs that have been around for many decades. With the constant development of new digital tools, many teens are leapfrogging over old modes of participation and inventing new ways to exercise their civic muscle.

Gen Z will lead a resurgence of civic participation. If there is a single difference between millennials and the next generation, it is this: zoomers are not waiting on anything or anyone; they are going to force the issue. They will make the change happen – by themselves, if necessary… In a world of competing priorities, engaging the youth of the developing nations today on common values and issues – like justice, climate, and liberty – is paramount, so that the world in 2050 remains safe and prosperous for the US and its allies.
John Della Volpe, FIGHT: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America (St. Martin’s Press, 2022)

Another clue of this trend 0f teen civic leadership beyond the school walls is 20 Years of Youth Power: The 2020 National Field Scan. This report shows that 70 percent of organizations surveyed identify as “intergenerational.” One explanation for this trend is an increasing number of adult-run organizations that serve children are heeding the call of “Nothing About Us Without Us” and engaging with their beneficiaries and youngest constituents.

Other reasons for thIS SURGE . . .

Teens who have participated in “entirely youth-led campaigns,” often for 4-6 years, decide to see if they can achieve more impact by teaming up with adult-run organizations and coalitions.
Camaraderie can blossom naturally because frontline and mid-level staff, who became civically active as teens and remember being ignored, tokenized or controlled by older folks, want to stop this cycle and know the value of including teens into the heart of an organization.
Nonprofits and government agencies operate youth advisory councils, internships and one-off projects which serve as a pipeline for these teens to continue to advance in different capacities within these organizations.

Students are working side-by-side with adults to identify and address issues, empowering other underserved students in the process. At this point students co-designing and co-creating. Equity and justice are prioritized and intergenerational partnerships are at the core of the work being done.
Pragya Upreti, Kentucky Student Voice Team and podcast perspective

These trends represent an opportunity for organizations and agencies to expand their outreach to the entire community by collaborating “with” teens as peers. Having grown up prioritizing diversity and inclusion, many Gen Zers possess unique skills to recruit marginalized and underrepresented youth. This paradigm shift requires radical anti-ageist mindsets by all age groups but the onus is on senior staff to adapt necessary policies and practices to make the organizational culture that respects teen know-how and perspectives.

Youth “Competence” is Game Changer

New research demonstrates when adults learn about the civic involvement of individual young people, their attitudes inch towards more positive opinions about Generation Z.

The 2020 elections during the height of COVID caused many older poll workers not to volunteer which led more states to lower the minimum age to 16 to fill this critical role. Digital skills and sharp eyesight are among the many benefits for opening up this civic opportunity to teens (more about this trend is described in my 2020 Youth Infusion blog).

It is surprising that teens – who typically are stereotyped as unreliable and untrustworthy – hold these positions, especially at this horrifying time with concerted efforts to delegitimize and ambush the election process.

In contrast to many politicians and media outlets reigniting the juvenile Superpredator myth, a new study by the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland reveals a promising shift in adult attitudes.

When Americans hear messages about the competence of the young people in their communities – especially when they learn that 16 and 17 year olds serve as election workers — support for including them in our democracy jumps ever higher.
Professor Mike Hanmer and Sam Novey, Government and Politics Department, University of Maryland.

This groundbreaking research demonstrates when adults learn about the civic involvement of individual young people, their attitudes inch towards more positive opinions about Generation Z. Instead of solid opposition to expanding voting rights to 16-year-olds, dare I say this data may signal that some older folks can be influenced to open their minds.

When respondents were prompted to think about the competence of the young people in their community, support for lowering the voting age jumped from just over ⅓ of respondents to nearly half of respondents.

The adage “Democracy is not a spectator sport” holds more meaning than ever. It is incumbent on adults to learn more about Vote16 campaigns across our country and talk with teens. My Youth Voice Plus Youth Vote TEDx as well as a prior blog, along with the resources below, provide additional background. Don’t be surprised that many young people have internalized the negative stereotypes about their generation and their initial reaction is similar to adults who oppose lowering the voting age.

On November 8, 2022 voters in Culver City, CA will decide whether to extend voting rights to 16-year-olds in municipal elections. If you lived in this Los Angeles suburb, how would you cast your ballot?

Additional ResourCes:

It is up to adults to move from exclusion of minors to inclusion of this prized segment of the population. Share your thoughts and questions with us!

Boost Your Org’s Talent Pool

Two film clips will challenge your thinking about the impact of intergenerational teamwork!

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez was in his mid-teens when his speech in Washington, DC to protest construction of the Keystone Pipeline XL captivated my attention. Now age 21, he has built his own leadership pipeline, as youth director of Earth Guardians and acclaimed hip hop artist. It is no surprise this multi-talented activist is one of the youth plaintiffs in a landmark climate lawsuit.

This pending case claims the federal government’s actions “violated the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty and property, as well as failed to protect essential public trust resources.”

This is a trailer for Youth v Gov, a documentary on Netflix.

In the new documentary Youth v Gov on Netflix, you will meet 20 other plaintiffs who joined this case back in 2018. Each individual has gained a repertoire of talents, for example, the youngest plaintiff Levi, now 14, appeared on 60 Minutes.

Many teens get involved trying ‘to right a wrong’ as very young children. Many start volunteering in their community or do a service-learning project which can lead to what I describe as the pistachio nut habit: once you get a taste for activism, you want to do more.

Idealism and impatience — traits that fade with age — lead young people to test dozens of ways to recruit diverse allies, promote their cause, build coalitions, present effective testimony to elected officials, etc. Real world hands-on learning is remarkable and fast.

Truly a Win-Win

Civic spark plugs like Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (pictured above at the podium outside the US Supreme Court) have mind-boggling skills. But each of the other plaintiffs contribute unique talents that accrue at a phenomenal clip. Each experience, including legal setbacks, fuels new learning and strategic thinking that benefit the cause.

The impact of intergenerational interdependence on older people deserves more attention. Youth v Gov reveals how younger minds oxygenate and augment adult-run organizations. Watch these two short clips from the documentary.

Can you imagine this level of intergenerational camaraderie at a future retreat of your organization? (Cue to 10:30 – 13:26)
Can you visualize the senior leadership team being so energized by their collaboration with a solid cadre of young colleagues? (Cue to 1:27:39 – 1:28:18)

No Attrition or Burnout

One common concern is that it’s not worth collaborating with young people because they will move on within a few months. Often the opposite is true. Genuine respect, authentic collaboration, and new dynamic opportunities increase the odds for long-term commitment.

It’s been seven years since filing Juliana v. United States by Our Children’s Trust. The staying power of these 21 plaintiffs persists. Adversity often strengthens resolve.

Recently the four plaintiffs from Florida initiated a statewide petition for renewable energy that resulted in a proposed regulation that was announced last month at a news conference with two of these activists. Many of these individuals are building their own leadership pipelines that will last a lifetime.

UPDATE West Virginia v. EPA decision:

Our Children’s Trust issued a news release on 6/30/22 that the US Supreme Court’s ruling to limit the Environmental Protection Agency regulatory authority over carbon dioxide pollution does not affect its federal or state youth-led climate lawsuits.

If anything, today’s ruling further demonstrates how important these children’s constitutional climate lawsuits are to address the deadly effects of our government-sanctioned fossil fuel-based energy system.

Photo Credit: Our Children’s Trust

Please share your thoughts and also let us know how your organization is infusing the youngest generations in its work. Call 301-785-1702 or contact us!

10 Reasons to Work with Young Researchers to Generate Solid Data

This survey and analytical process provide a stellar example why young people are needed to help evaluate existing programs as well as shape policy deliberations and decisions.

Post-millennials, who never have operated in a world without the internet, are pros at using an array of social media platforms. Less recognized is that many are adept with various online options that promote collaboration. It is second nature for many Gen Zers to use Google Docs, Slack, Zoom, etc.

One skill-set boosted by these digital tools is Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR). It is no longer rare to see sophisticated data collection, analysis, and recommendations generated by this youth-led process. One driver of this trend is young people – especially minors –who know this advocacy strategy improves the odds that they will be taken seriously by the powers-that-be.

Organizations, coalitions, and think tanks could benefit enormously by incorporating a YPAR strategy. Here are just a few reasons and the first one is the most valuable.

10 Reasons for YPAR

To produce data that reveal potentially more honest responses from the most diverse generation ever;
To augment the expertise of professional researchers;
To rethink typical survey questions and refine the language;
To deepen the qualitative and quantitative research skills of everyone involved;
To use innovative dissemination strategies to reach target constituencies;
To gather pertinent data to evaluate the effectiveness of programs, reassess priorities, and develop new initiatives;
To use data to strengthen the overall work and impact of your organization;
To garner attention from the news media and policymakers;
To save money since most employees and many consultants cost more than part-time young researchers; and
To infuse young people – often the primary stakeholders – into the heart of your organization for the benefit of everyone!

Formidable Skills Produce Pertinent Data

A first class example is Race to Learn by the Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) based on 10,725 responses from 114 of Kentucky’s 120 counties. It was released during debate on state legislation to curb what is taught about race and ethnicity in the classrooms.

Two excerpts reveal the integrity of their methodology, including an intentional strategy to include the most underrepresented students.

We designed our methods in consultation with our “Research Advisory Dream Team,” a group of adult allies with expertise in youth participatory action research (YPAR). We generated and refined our survey tool over the course of both asynchronous and synchronous sessions soon after the start of the 2021- 22 school year, and we did so in consultation with young people outside of our membership and with school and community-based educators throughout the state.
The qualitative team analyzed the 23,094 responses to the six open-ended questions…the quantitative team analyzed 21 scaled questions. Our analysis included the identification of patterns in the data as we disaggregated it in order to compare the experiences of students of color and those of white students and make connections to what students were expressing in their open responses. From there, we were able to come to group consensus and prioritize some key data points and themes.
Race to Learn: Findings, Recommendations and Reflections from the Kentucky Student Voice Team’s Race, Ethnicity and School Climate Student Survey (March 2022)

Interspersed with the presentation of data are quotes by students that reflect a wide range of views but reinforce one finding that “46% of students report that their school needs to do more to confront racism.” Each of the recommendations drawn from the analysis deserves to be read in full (see page 13).

There’s no doubt that the careful creation and wording of questions plus the dissemination through both formal and informal networks were what resulted in over 10K responses during only a two-week time frame.

Model and Motive

The Kentucky Student Voice Team outlines its overarching goal on the first page of the report:

By operating as a transparent, inclusive, and collaborative team, and by documenting our process, we hope to provide a model for how young people and other stakeholders can act as citizen researchers to ensure more just and democratic schools and communities.

This research is a labor intensive undertaking, but young people like these Kentucky citizen researchers prove that the effort is worth it.

As you read about this impressive work, please share with us how your organization might infuse young people as interpreters of the grievances facing their generation and pragmatic solutions.

Additional Resources

Courier Journal – media coverage of the research findings
Innovative Intergenerational Research Model – Coping with Covid survey by KY Student Voice Team with teachers and parents
Kentucky Student Voice Team – website
Race to Learn – 20-page report
The Co-Creation Generation – history of the KY Student Voice Team plus excellent intergenerational collaboration strategies
YPAR Hub – school curriculum

For more information about the impact of intergenerational interdependence, contact us.

Attn Non-Profits: Five Recommendations for Anti-Racist Representation

Significant Youth Infusion is happening at this United Way in Seattle that is advancing beyond ‘youth voice.’

Back in 2002, I collaborated with United Way of America and co-authored Youth as Equal Partners which didn’t get much traction. Two decades later, there’s real reliance on young experts by the United Way of King County in Washington State.

This prioritization of BIPOC youth can be traced to some tenacious Gen Z leaders who know firsthand that their grassroots organizations cannot compete or survive with the “Non-Profit Industrial Complex.” For over a year, the King County Youth Commission identified how voices of the historically excluded continue to be “devalued, dismissed and disregarded” and demand “a paradigm shift to dismantle this system that is so exploitative.”

We are tired of fighting for representation. It should be a given that the most impacted members of our community be given access to opportunities that are not only compensated but have actual decision-making power.

Organization Seized the Opportunity to Collaborate with Youth

Typically young change makers guard their autonomy because they are distrustful and impatient with established institutions. In this case, these experienced young advocates are demanding systemic organizational transformation and fortunately, some equally committed staff at United Way share the same vision. An extensive 8-month research project by a team of young experts, who were paid about $25/hour by United Way’s Reconnecting Youth Initiative, generated Youth Tell All: Youth Centered Analysis on Youth Development in King County.

Urgent, unequivocal, and uncompromising is how I would describe the eloquent young researchers who presented straightforward recommendations based on their in-depth interviews with nearly 40 Black, brown, Indigenous, and queer youth.

Recommendation 1: Make young people integral to all decision-making, implementation, evaluation, and feedback processes.

Recommendation 2: It is vital to develop healthy and safe, as well as honest and consistent, relationships with young people.

Recommendation 3: Our decision-makers should represent our communities.

Recommendation 4: Build authentic relationships with our communities while centering the experiences of the people most affected.

Recommendation 5: Pay us for the ideas, time, labor, and leadership we contribute to your organization.

At this online presentation, the research team invited the executive director of the Seattle-based organization FEEST that lives by these five recommendations. High school students are involved at “a high level in strategic planning,” compensation is above $15/hour, and cardboard pizza has been replaced with nutritious Indigenous food in school cafeterias along with other significant wins.

Youth Tell All is not another report gathering dusk. This spring, United Way of King County will begin a youth-led participatory grant process where youth will directly decide $100,000 funding to youth-identified priorities.

When you work with young people, they provide feedback, and we realize they’re the product of the society we built. They have yet to be jaded and yet to be trained to mask what they’re feeling, so they are brutally honest. And when they’re brutally honest, they can call out where the discrepancies are in our work, so that we can listen to exactly where we need to and must make changes to better support youth.
Ruel Olanday, Jr. with United Way of King County

Influence is Inadequate

Read Youth Tell All for a deeper understanding on how mainstream institutions, headed mostly by white adults, have the power to intentionally infuse young people into structures with real power to help produce lasting community change that benefits everyone.

“These recommendations mean nothing if they are not acted on. The power of this report is that we did the research for you. From our Methods, all the way to our Glossary, which even includes related readings for you to deepen your understanding, the data is there. We interviewed the youth, we read the countless studies supporting our findings, and the youth led this project from the start to the finish.

The only thing that is left to do:

Pay the Youth who make it so your organization can thrive. This means Paying them with more than just experience, opportunities, or minimum wage.
Give them decision-making power, not influence. This means making your decision-making processes so seamless that youth are already included from the start, and not when it’s time to “bring in the youth for feedback.”
Ensure that your organization, from staff, to board, represents the communities you serve. Yes, this means hiring the same youth from your programs into these roles when they are ready! Yes, this means stepping down from a role that would best be served by a BIPOC community member.
Mentor the Youth and develop safe, healthy, and honest relationships with them. This means giving them honest guidance, and not projecting your own trauma, or paternalistic feelings onto them and what you think they should be doing.
Build authentic relationships with the communities you serve. This means all-year-round support, not just when your organization needs to check off a box for a grant deliverable.“

– Devan Rogers, Anti-Racist Community Organizer, and Abolitionist

Tracking Progress

More updates will follow here @ YouthInfusion.org on how United Way of King County is leading the way on authentic intergenerational interdependence to represent all constituencies in a county with over 2.25 million people.

Photo Credit: FEEST: Making Justice Irresistibly Delicious

Resources

“Intergenerational’ Becoming More Widespread
United Way of King County
Youth Commission presentation of Youth Tell All report
Youth Tell All: Youth Centered Analysis on Youth Development in King County report

Avoiding Roadblocks with Youth

Teens join an academic research team in creating survey questions that so far have generated over 350,000 responses.

Intergenerational Symbiosis?!?

Check out this innovative organization that succeeds at circumventing roadblocks that stop many nonprofits and agencies from pursuing substantive and sustained collaboration with those under age 18.

One of those onerous challenges that I personally dealt with in graduate school was to get approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to interview students about their experiences participating and advocating for restorative practices. An effective way to avoid this obstacle is to be explicit that young people are sharing their opinions, perspectives and ideas, not revealing their personal experiences. Because activities are determined to be of minimal risk to minors, no parent/guardian consent is required as in the case of this powerhouse organization.

Associate Professor Tammy Chang at University of Michigan founded My Voice National Poll of Youth, a text-message platform that surveys youth and communities typically “invisible” to researchers.

Dr. Chang includes teens on the academic research team to develop questions through an iterative writing and piloting process. “A reason why you have youth is because adults – including me as a physician – might think it is totally normal to ask a question but it could be really disturbing or damaging.” Her team is intentional in its participant pool: “We are not trying to get all student council presidents and valedictorians and that is why we use SMS that’s accessible to all.”

One of her colleagues, 17-year-old Abby Frank, describes her role.

I’m involved in the entire data collection process, brainstorming questions, coding responses, discussing outcomes and implications of research with the entire team…They are flexible and always ask what time frame works for my schedule. If I miss a meeting, I let them know in advance and then get caught up on what was discussed.

In addition to carefully vetted questions that resonate with Gen Z, participants understand the big picture which is why over 350,000 responses have been generated so far.

REAL WORLD PURPOSE. Clear explanation of why: “Our research team uses your responses to inform policymakers and community leaders in real-time about the needs and priorities of youth.”
AUTHENTICITY VALUED. “Tell us what you really think!”
CLEAR EXPECTATIONS. Respond via text to 2-5 questions each week for 12 weeks in a row on a given topic
CONFIDENTIALITY. All responses anonymous
COMPENSATION. Gift cards
FEEDBACK LOOP. Share summaries of opinions and interesting findings
NEW EXPERIENCES. Continually offer unique opportunities

We create lots of opportunities. Get as many young people on our team – the answer is always YES! If they can come to one meeting or 100 meetings, every time they engage we are always learning something new. The secret sauce with My Voice is they understand our whole goal to uplift their voices in the spirit of generosity, trust, mutual respect.
– Dr. Tammy Chang

The ongoing interactions and obvious rapport between this visionary leader and her younger colleagues are part of the magic. Dr. Chang makes intergenerational symbiosis look easy and actually, it is. After all, everyone regardless of age brings unique skills that have the potential to be inclusive, intergenerational and impactful as long as all of us are open and willing to figure out how to circumvent the age-based roadblocks.