– Wendy Lesko – Page 2

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.

Our Invite to “Collab”!

“Collab” is one of the most popular words of post-Millennials, according to the authors of Generation Z, Explained: The Art of Living in a Digital Age

While now it’s collab, I have two decades experience with its ancestor, collaborating, and with teens, or minors – those 17 years and 364 days and under. The rich experiences and major triumphs I attribute to these teen partnerships continually fuel my personal growth and commitment for radical youth infusion. When I reflect on these mutual mentoring experiences, I am reminded how much I still have to learn. The uniqueness of each experience, the singular nature of every youth-adult partnership, make for a varied and exciting pathway toward impactful interGEN interdependence.

My latest collaboration started in 2021 as a conversation and grew into a book, the Youth Infusion Hub and a deep collaboration with a remakable teen – Denise Webb.

She is one of two dozen teens who work in different capacities with adult-run organizations, and my research at the time sought to gain insights about the good, the bad and the ugly. A few emails and Zooms and Denise and I realized that our bigger philosophies met in a shared vision for our future where teens contribute meaningfully to organizations large and small. We had the opportunity to examine and apply the ins and outs of interGEN collaboration ourselves as we documented ways organizations are collaborating with minors in major ways, and how it can be done in any organization. This project that became Why Aren’t We Doing This! Collaborating with Minors in Major Ways showcases Denise’s insights and her remarkable ability to meet deadlines between classes and a long list of other commitments and responsibilities.

We hope the stories, quotes and strategies we present will spark every group of people to look around and recognize that without youths, something is missing — irreplaceable insights, intelligence, intuition and the ideas of young generations.

We provide reasons why, techniques how, and commitments to supporting youth infusion. Nineteen year-old Denise invites everyone to consider opening their mind and inviting teens to be key and critical partners:

“Let us build and revise systems that have torn you, me and the people before us down. Join us. Have us on your team.”

Our book is the starting point. To boost momentum, we created a Hub and provide resources for infosharing. Now more than ever, we need you, regardless of age or position.

We invite you to . . .

Tell us what topics from our book you want expanded on or suggest new angles of interGEN collab
Submit a guest blog to wendy@youthinfusion.org
Check out our cadre of interGEN collaborators
Sign up for our biweekly updates with tactical tips and that feature the innovations of others
Participate in the Youth Infusion Hub to grow and enrich our interGEN knowledgebase and support the community by sharing your lived experiences and expertise.

Together we can work as a team. When we exchange different approaches to youth infusion, individuals and institutions all benefit!

Courtroom interGEN Camaraderie

How often does a lawsuit with 16 plaintiffs between the ages of 5 to 22 get noticed? News outlets from CNN to the front page of The Washington Post signal the historic nature of a trial centering on the climate crisis. The ruling prioritizes a child-first orientation and human rights obligation reflecting the Constitution of the State of Montana that “The state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations”.

U.S. District Court Judge Kathy Seeley in her 103-page decision found that

“young Montana residents have experienced past and ongoing injuries resulting from the State’s failure to consider [greenhouse gas emissions] and climate change, including injuries to their physical and mental health, homes and property, recreational, spiritual, and aesthetic interests, tribal and cultural traditions, economic security, and happiness.”

If upheld by the Montana Supreme Court, it will reverse a recently passed state law that prohibits state agencies from considering the impact of global warming and pollution during the permit process for fossil fuel projects.

Eva, one of the plaintiffs, says

“I’m so speechless right now. I’m really just excited and elated and thrilled. I cannot believe the ruling. I’m just so relieved. I feel so grateful to have worked with every single person who has been involved in this. Everybody from Our Children’s Trust is just amazing. They’re all so wonderful. And I have so much love and appreciation for the other youth plaintiffs because they’re just so fantastic and such wonderful people. And we together have done this amazing thing and it’s just so wonderful.”

The camaraderie evident between the attorneys and other young plaintiffs also is happening now in Hawaii, Utah, Virginia and other states. This rare courtroom collaboration is captured in the superb Youth v. Gov documentary about the pending Federal youth-led lawsuit. Check out of our blog from a year ago that highlights two candid moments in the film which showcase genuine intergenerational interdependence. These clips will make your heart sing!

Learn more:

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!

Category: – Wendy Lesko