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Child & Youth Engagement
For questions about content, contact:Monique Ford, Public Health Nurse, Halton Region [email protected]
What does child & youth engagement mean to you?
Discuss at your tablesCome up with concepts to describe it -
something that encompasses what it truly is.Be creative
“Empowering all youth as valued partners in addressing, and making decisions about issues
that affect them personally and/or that they believe to be important.
It is about adults working with youth to create opportunities for young people to become
involved and contribute to the betterment of an organization and/or community in which they
live.”Pereira, 2007
What is Youth Engagement?
Meaningful Engagement: work has a purpose. Beyond Programming: youth involved at all stages
of planning. Organizational Commitment: buy-in is required
from the organization. Valuing Youth: seeing youth as assets today not just
the leaders of the future. Youth-Adult Partnerships: adult support is needed
to help youth build skills and also provide access to decision-makers.
Realistic Expectations: important to take youth development into consideration; balance between current strengths of youth and helping them to build new skills.
Youth Engagement Principles
The most important thing is to assess where you are on the
ladder!
There are opportunities for children and youth to give voice to what happens in our programs. Prompts:
Is it meaningful participation? Do we listen, validate and act on what they say? Do we get representation from a diversity of
children and youth? When do we include them? At what stage of
planning? Do we provide opportunities for mentoring and
skill-building?
Agree or disagree?
Warm and welcoming environment Allow youth to be active contributors in the design,
development and implementation of programs Assign adults allies to work with youth Provide transportation/cover cost of transportation Hire youth to work in their organization Provide honorarium for youth time Provide flexible hours of operation Seek feedback from youth to improve their services Involve youth in development of policies for their
organization (e.g. youth engagement)
What are characteristics of a youth-friendly organization?
What are the risks and benefits of involving youth?
Benefits to Youth Improves health outcomes
by reducing risk behaviours Increases their skills and
experiences Opportunity for contribute to
society (youth as resources)
Risks: Are there any?
Benefits to Adults Young people have
strengths, ideas, and insights that we can benefit and learn from
Will improve our services (by getting the input of those we serve)
Risks: You may receive feedback
you are not prepared to act on.
10 – 13 years 14 – 17 years 18-21 years
For FunHelp OthersLearn New Things• Curious about
issueMeet New People• Make friends• Get friends
involvedBuild Social Skills
Create Opportunities• Open doors• Diversity selfBuilds Confidence• Makes you feel
goodHelp OthersTry New ThingsMeet New People
Create Opportunities• Build your resume• Build your
knowledge of the issue
• Build yourself as a person
• Gives you experience in the field
Personal Fulfillment• Gives you a sense
of accomplishment
Help OthersMeet New People
Top reasons why youth get involved
Time Budget Transportation Communication No buy-in about importance of youth
involvement Assumptions
What are barriers to engaging youth?
Be genuine Be clear Be open-minded Show respect See the best in them Ask them for their opinion and ideas Give meaningful roles Avoid assumptions
How can adults connect better with young people?
“Youth is, after all, just a moment, but it is the moment, the spark, that you always carry in your heart.”
Raisa M. Gorbachev
