20 Steps Towards Youth Engagement

Are YOU concerned about disenfranchised youth? Do YOU believe young people don’t have enough power throughout society? Do you think YOU can help make the world a better place through youth engagement?

Here are 20 steps towards youth engagement right now. These are for all people of all ages in all locations at all times, always in all ways.

No matter what age you are right now, reflect personally about your experience being young.
Examine your personal experiences with youth engagement, no matter what age you are.
Identify what your beliefs about young people are , no matter what age you are .
Examine your beliefs about young people. Why do you have them? How do you act them out?
Stop discounting people because of their age right now, no matter what age they are.
Stand up to others that discount people because of their age, no matter what age they are.
Identify an adult to have honest conversations with about being young, no matter what age you are.
Identify a young person to have honest conversations with about being young, no matter what age you are.
Have honest conversations with everyone about being an adult, no matter what age you are.
Read books, websites, blogs, and other forms of expression by young people about topics you are interested in, your job or profession.
Start a group, join a group, or offer personal support to a group of young people promoting youth engagement in your community, school, or organization.
Contact current youth engagement activities in your neighborhood and learn about them.
Evaluate your organization using the evaluations in my Freechild Project Youth Voice Toolkit.
Contact local officials and write a letter to the editor to advocate for youth engagement.
Explore books, websites, blogs, and other forms of expression about society, youth engagement, and advocacy.
Provide free training in your community using The Freechild Project Youth Engagement Workshop Guide.
Learn about issues that are important to people throughout your community by having conversations with people you want to know.
Join a group that is not focused on youth or youth issues.
Consistently represent the interests of young people or your community in personal, professional, social, and other parts of your life.
Create a conscious critical relationship with a young person or adult, right now. Allow them to call you out for your behavior, attitude, or actions that do not promote youth empowerment.