“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!
Youth Infusion 