Civic Engagement – Youth Infusion

NEW! Best Practices for Every City and Nonprofit

With almost surgical precision that flattens the hierarchical separation between policy professionals and non-experts, there is a resource that details tested techniques for any organization dedicated to authentic collaboration with those directly impacted by its priorities and policies.

Cultivating Possibilities was released in early 2025 to document the “first-of-its-kind exchange” at the 2024 White House Youth Policy Summit. The U.S. Department of Education took the lead role with five other federal agencies. Given that the Trump Administration has targeted the Department of Education for elimination, one might assume this blueprint is now irrelevant. Despite ongoing turmoil also at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and other agencies, this Summit was far more than a one-off photo-op. Ongoing follow-up may be at a standstill, but indelible changes have happened. The protocols and mindsets about the value of authentic engagement and how to partner with young people reflect an emerging trend at the state and local levels.

Think Nationally, Act Locally

If serious shared decision-making can happen in the vast federal bureaucracy, certainly state, county, and city organizations can adopt these fundamental principles and practices. Every city government and its infrastructure of agencies and commissions can use this framework. The same applies to community-based organizations from small neighborhood groups to large nonprofits.

For over 15 years, Hikma Sherka has been on the receiving end of token gestures where pizza and gift cards are how adults say thanks to young people who share their time and talents. In her recent position as Youth Engagement Coordinator in the Office of Secretary Dr. Miguel Cardona, Hikma told me how surprised she was by genuine “co-building” among the 7-member planning team and 270 Summit participants.

Here are some of the very intentional youth engagement methods that stand out. This uplifting, colorful 45-page report covers the pre-planning stage through concrete commitments as well as implementation.

Principles & Procedures

1. TAREGETED REPRESENTATION. Invite people, primarily between the ages of 16-24, who have lived experiences of government systems that have not worked for them. Seeking young people who will share their firsthand grievances is usually not a top priority.

2. RELIANCE ON COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. Instead of an open call for individual applicants, Youthprise, Grip Tape and many other nonprofits across the country were key to recruitment. These youth-serving organizations know their constituencies.

3. PRE-PLANNING PREP. Youth organizations held online gatherings for youth participants to explain jargon, agency jurisdictions, youth development benchmarks and other Summit goals. These orientation sessions are particularly important for those who may not have “traditional leadership experience.”

4. CO-ARCHITECTS FROM THE GET-GO. Usually, adults dominate the design phase and ask a couple of young people to give feedback on a preliminary plan. Instead, an external team had nearly equal representation from the start, with four young people and three adults.

5. FREQUENT MEETINGS. The planning team met weekly—every Friday afternoon for five months—ensuring an accelerated decision-making process that also helps to get on the same page..

6. REGULAR ACCESS TO LEADERSHIP TEAM. Senior White House staff and representatives from the six agencies met monthly with the planning team. Often, there is limited substantive interaction between high level professionals and those involved with a youth project.

7. COMPENSATION. The planning team was paid for their time, and the 90 youth participants at the Summit received a “generous per diem” which covered travel expenses (including for adult allies if requested), and a clothing allowance. What to wear at official events like this can be stressful.

8. INCUBATOR SPACE. A separate area for young people allowed them to engage with their peers, grapple with issues, raise questions, and float ideas. This accommodation provides a safe zone, free from unintended judgment or intimidation by adults. A staffed wellness room was also available.

9. IMPOSTER PREVENTION. The importance and value of youth perspectives need to be emphasized repeatedly, but one subtle strategy deserves consideration. At this high-level Summit, nametags of participants and speakers did not include PhD, MSW or other honorifics. Avoiding business suits also was encouraged.

10. ATTENTION TO ATMOSPHERICS. An intergenerational team created a playlist. Poet laureates spoke throughout the Summit. A graphic facilitator captured concepts, language and priorities. An online meeting platform allowed all participants to communicate and network.

11. SETTING GROUND RULES. One Summit guideline stated that no federal policymakers could speak on stage without being in dialogue with young people. Co-facilitation can be uneven due to personality differences and public speaking experience, particularly between a 16-year-old learning about federal housing programs and a U.S. HUD expert. Plenty of time is necessary to build confidence and rapport.

12. CHANGING HABITS AND ATTITUDES. The planning team held a training for representatives of all participating agencies on the concept of adultism and power dynamics. Another unlearn and relearn training focused on communication and messaging including shifting the deficit-oriented narrative to youth experiences and capabilities

Working with young people in a different way strengthens the agencies, and moving forward, they’re going to continue to use their experience to shape their work. – Shital Shah, Senior Advisor of Strategic Partnerships at the Department of Education

Policy Outcomes

At the end of the Summit and six months later, here are a few of the actions taken but there are dozens more specific policies.

All six agencies committed to stop using “vulnerable” and “at-risk” youth in policies and program materials. A list was created to retire other terms such as “delinquent” and “neglected” youth.

U.S. Department of Labor pledged to hire young people in local, state, and federal government not only to share ideas but to raise awareness about the Workforce Recruitment Program.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Labor Department launched a pilot program to 1) reconsider zero-tolerance policies that hinder employment and 2) create policies that provide substance abuse resources for young people.

Youth are experts in their own lived experiences. When we are given agency, wellbeing, belonging, purpose, meaning, and leadership within our federal government to express our voices, we are empoowered to bring these values to our peers as well. – Sriha Srinivasan

This Summit was underwritten by the Fund for Adolescent Science Translation (FAST) that includes the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Bezos Family Foundation, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, The Ford Foundation, The Hemera Foundation, The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Hopelab, Pivotal Ventures, The Raikes Foundation, Spring Point Partners, The Seattle Foundation and The Stuart Foundation. FAST is dedicating $400K to support young leaders and organizations as a follow-up to this White House Summit.

The entire process of including young people at the federal level to this degree is unprecedented.

Please share your reactions and other examples of substantive and sustained youth engagement at the local, state, or federal level.

Resources

Cultivating Opportunities – Report about this “first-of-its-kind exchange” White House conference

Seek Common Ground – Nonprofit managing the Fund for Adolescent Science Translation (FAST) grants

Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways – Shameless plug for the book I co-authored with 19-year-old Denise Webb

Credit: One of several graphic images generated at the Summit

“Check out”what’s happening in Libraries

“We are hearing the important word “co-design” more as libraries are designing programs “with” teens, not “for” them. Instead of planning first and bringing the teens in later, teens are given a seat at the table from the beginning. Libraries are going into communities and building relationships with trusted messengers, and if the goal is to develop programming for teens, then teens need to be among those trusted messengers. This movement reflects a larger trend of a ‘with them’ practice.”

This paradigm shift is described by Shari Henry, previously Director of Democracy and Community Impact with the Urban Libraries Council and who now works with the largest library system in Virginia. In addition to maximizing the impact of youth services, co-piloting with teens plots future directions for libraries and diversifying the career pipeline.

Instead of libraries becoming obsolete institutions, some innovative practices of inclusion are gaining traction.

Another visionary in the library universe is Liz McChesney, National Summer Learning Association Senior Fellow. She reviewed Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways which I co authored with Denise Webb, now 20. McChesney says

“This practical and easy to use guide gives actionable examples of how to include youth and co-design for authentic engagement. This is a must read for all those who want more inclusive and equitable programs and services in their libraries that are designed with youth instead of for them.”

Prof. Anthony Bernier at California’s San José State University School of Information continues to push and prod libraries to move beyond traditional youth development framework. I am proud to have contributed a chapter in his book, Transforming Young Adult Services. I’m even prouder to share his review of our book..

In an inspiringly accessible narrative voice, Why Aren’t We Doing This – teaches the topics and addresses the concerns skeptics simply accept to justify why incorporating young people is just too hard.

Webb and Lesko illustrate how it’s not.

Their well laid-out Table of Contents usher readers through six logical arguments and strategies for disrupting legacies that exclude youth through inducting and infusing youth into the operational and strategic fabric of our organizations. Along the way Why Aren’t We Doing This shares real-world insights from their interviews as well as offers practical resources, such as the “Ladder of Real Vs. Token Youth Participation,” to help guide organizations away from superficial manipulations of young people through to genuine influence and power enhancing collaborations.

That said, as someone who teaches youth service professionals, I particularly appreciate the detailed content about appropriate on-boarding, coaching, and co-piloting techniques leading to authentic youth influence building.

Libraries = Community Hub!

Join Our National Hub!!

Join with other youth practitioners from many different sector in our online exchange about individual and institutional change to co-create with this demographic that is essential to innovation in every community. “Check out” Youth Infusion HUB @ LinkedIN.

Photo: El Gabilan Library – Salinas, CA

Catalytic Credibility + Clout of Young Advocates

The most eloquent and knowledgeable experts cannot compete with the likes of Denise Webb. Her wisdom shines in the book we co authored Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways. Denise’s activism started at age 15 and five years later, she still is working part-time with a dozen other youth staff at the Partnership for Southern Equity in Atlanta.

Denise represents the next frontier of youth engagement where organizations go beyond focus groups and advisory councils. There is no substitute for ongoing substantive teamwork – especially those directly impacted – in deliberating together about policy solutions and also participating throughout the decision making process.

Raw reality combined with irrefutable statistics are on center stage when Denise Webb spoke to a huge audience at the 2024 Plenary Session: Advancing Whole Health hosted by the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

Her words hold so much gravitas and deserve repeated reading. Here are several excerpts from her opening speech.

I am a statistic.
I am one of 500,000 people in Georgia who have lived in low-income spaces.
I am one of 700,000 people in Georgia who has severe asthma.
I am one of 36,000 youth who went through homelessness during K12 career.
I am one of the millions in Georgia who are also part of health and nutrition deserts.

…For my senior year of high school I spent it in a hotel. Living in that hotel eating sandwiches from charity buses, eating frozen food just to warm up, and staying in that small room with no transportation so I was basically stuck and my mental health hit so hard..I remember not wanting to have a future… I didn’t care about wheezing because I couldn’t afford medicine for my nebulizer. I realized that you cannot worry about your health if you cannot afford to fix it.

So I ask all of you, there are people in the community who don’t have PhDs, don’t have Masters degree, high school diploma or Bachelor’s and they are living the exact same issues that we are talking about. Today I urge you to find a Denise – not this Denise sitting on a stage in a suit – but the Denise living in the hotel, the Denise that didn’t want to go to school, and struggling. Think about what’s actually happening in your community and use your resources to help.

Here are a few reasons to embed people like Denise into your organization’s public policy work.. Included are page references to our book.

NEW CONSTITUENCIES REPRESENTED
Young people can mobilize their peers who usually are invisible and if invited, can direct their voices to the powers-that-be. Denise and I describe dozens of recruitment strategies (pp. 90-101). Also, youths can tap their community connections that may include aunts and other family members, faith leaders and neighborhood groups which strengthens the advocacy engine.

2. PIN DROP PHENOMENON
Young people possess outsize influence to capture the attention of decision makers. Denise is living proof how “lived experience” gives a human dimension to data that can be unforgettable. Unlike lobbyists and other professionals, young advocates often attract media coverage which in turn can pressure policy makers to take action.

3. RENEWED PROFESSIONAL PASSION
Our age-segregated society means most professionals, especially senior leaders, do not interact with young people as colleagues. Embedding a cohort of youths in the policy team can reenergize staff and add “joy” which can counter burnout (pp. 33-34)..

4. DEMOCRACY DROPOUT PREVENTION
Real world experiences such as advocating to a city council, school board, planning commission, etc. during the formative teenage years can make a lasting imprint. Collaborating with adults in an organization committed to inclusive and democratic practices holds the promise of lifelong civic engagement where it is the norm for those not old enough to vote to have a seat at the table.

Concrete Impacts

POLICY WIN: Having formal leadership roles for high school students on the Advocacy Committee and other Committees of the Rhode Island Civic Learning Coalition is credited with the victory to increase K-12 funding to $1 Million in FY 2022 (p. 27)..

POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE EXPERTS: “The experience of being in conversation with young people is truly changing the adults’ perspectives of their value to the movement and solidifying a greater commitment to it because they are hearing constantly about why it matters so much from young people.” – Arielle Jennings, Executive Director (p. 27)

POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOUTHS: “At the Rhode Island Civic Learning Coalition, I could share my opinion freely and we could have a conversation. It’s such an inspiration for youth when we are actually working with older people so wise who listened and worked as allies and as friends and as colleagues rather than sitting and waiting for our turn to speak.” – Athena Holloway (p. 83)

Follow Denise Webb on LinkdIN where you can also watch her presentation

Boost Your Advocacy Engine

My job as a community organizer and then as a reporter covering the US Congress are the roots of my dedication to civic participation, especially those more impacted and furthest from power. More recently I have two decades under my belt working with both young activists as well as nonprofits resulting in the passage of county ordinances, state and federal legislation. Check out my coaching services.

Voting Rights Victory Lessons

When only 3 percent of voters cast ballots in the nonpartisan local school board elections, that’s a failing grade. This negligible turnout in Newark, New Jersey means the top education decision makers have little reason to listen and respond to their constituents. And there is another systemic problem. How many adults – including parents – have a deep understanding of what’s happening inside the schools? Certainly teachers do, but students have firsthand knowledge about curricula and testing, as well as nonacademic problems such as freezing classrooms and school lockdowns.

Two students from different high schools, Yenjay Hu and Anjali Krishnamurti, discovered they had the same idea that those who spend over 36 hours a week in the classrooms deserve to weigh in on decisions made by their school board. They connected online through Generation Citizen’s Vote16USA and soon they co-founded Vote16NJ. This initiative is a major step beyond a single nonvoting student representative on a school board that is often viewed as a token position.

Meanwhile, Micauri Vargas, Associate Counsel of the Democracy & Justice Program with the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice was contacted by Vote16NJ and that is how she learned about this student-led initiative. She then began her legal analysis that determined solid State Constitutional footing to expand voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds for local school board elections.

Building an interGEN Coalition

Vargas, who describes herself as a “junior attorney” got the green light to work on this campaign even though there was no specific funding allocation. Typical of many legislative campaigns, the behind-the-scenes work can be slow but once the stars align, immediate action is needed before the political universe changes. While the NJ Institute, NAACP and other orgs worked their connections, Vargas kept in frequent contact with Vote16NJ and also connected with other local youth-serving organizations to broaden the faces of this movement.

Lowering the voting age to 16 is one of the best issues to consider how you view teens and their competence. Everyone who does this 15-minute exercise debating the pros and cons and shares how their thinking evolved with me via text (301-785-1702) or wendy@youthinfusion.org will get a FREE copy of our 160-page book,“WHY AREN’T WE DOING THIS! COLLABORATING WITH MINORS IN MAJOR WAYS,” coauthored by 19 year-old Denise Webb.

Three years later, 12th grader Hu describes the unanimous vote by the Newark City Council as “surreal” and knows the legal expertise and political connections of this intergenerational coalition were essential. Often, organizations keep the non professionals on the sidelines but Krishnamurti , now 18, grins while describing Vargas as

“absolutely amazing…she genuinely wants the voices of young people and views us as equals and as her colleagues.”

Micauri Vargas describes the student activists as

“my partners and that there is a mutual teaching element but there is a difference if they have not entered the working world.”

The easy rapport and frequent exchanges (Zooms and informal meetings) provided the on ramp for “tough conversations” ranging from strategic moves such as who is standing on the podium. This campaign reveals the predictably complex dynamics between teen activists who have a handful of free hours each week and professionals who devote many hours a day and how youths and adults alike successfully navigate the steep learning curve.

With voting rights under attack, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice could have decided not to prioritize youth suffrage but recognized Vote16 builds lifelong habits of civic engagement and extends representation to those directly impacted. Anjali Krishnamurti says “It took a lot of courage for them and I remember Micauri thanking the NJISJ CEO for ‘believing in me and to take this leap of faith.’”

The upcoming school board election is fast approaching. Implementation of this city ordinance will require all hands-on-deck with legal experts working on registration and ballots along with young activists, teachers and community-based organizations co-creating plans so that 7,000 students become aware of their eligibility to vote. This historic win may cause older voters to be more aware of this election and increase turnout above the abysmal 3 percent. This interGEN coalition represents the powerful impact when people of all ages work together to confront the challenges of today and tomorrow.

A Few More Takeaways

Create coalitions that always include young people
Students in the 9th and 10th grades are an ideal age because they have years – not a few months – to organize and advocate
Be intentional about recruiting young people from all backgrounds to ensure broader representation
Junior level staff need the support of senior leadership
1:1 meetings keep young people in the loop and avoid misunderstandings
Everyone’s knowledge is respected, regardless of age or background.

Extra Info

Join our LinkedIn Group to participate in this and other conversations!

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!

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!

Category: Civic Engagement