One assumption behind youth infusion is the belief that deliberately, strategically, systemically, sustainably, and powerfully weaving youth throughout organizations will lead to less exclusive, more popular, and more common experiences of youth engagement for every youth in every community, all of the time.
Unfortunately, that’s not the norm. Instead, a lot of programs are missing that certain something that makes youth infusion different.
Many youth engagement opportunities are based on establishing an ambiguous set of experiences for a certain number of young people to achieve particular outcomes according to the will of adults. Unfortunately, these approaches can result in inequitable, unsustainable and sometimes imperceivable changes in organizations. Worst still, they can feel unjust, unequal, and ill-considered by the very youth who sought to become involved.
Through youth infusion, we’re proposing that organizations can go further with intention. Some of these intentions include:
- Transform Traits: The innate values, ideas, beliefs and opinions of the people involved including youth and adults
- Sharpen Skills: The actionable, practical abilities that young people and adults need in order to work together to change the world
- Capture Knowledge: The concepts, strategies, facts, and other thinking accumulated and created by the people involved in youth infusion
- Accentuate Actions: These are the tangible steps young people and adults take to make a difference in their own lives, communities and beyond
Once organizations, programs, projects and communities state their intentions in these areas, they separate themselves from typical youth engagement, traditional youth involvement, and stagnate youth voice. Instead, they step forward and make a conscientious choice to transform the world through transformative action with young people.
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Youth Infusion 