Youth Engagement
When we talk about youth engagement, it's not just a method, it's a
lifestyle, it's a value commitment, it's a way of life... that includes
young people in our community and in our life's journey – Ed Irwin,
Kwanzaa Church, Nia Imani Youth Center
This web site is a work in progress. For now, we’ve posted materials that we found helpful in presentations about youth engagement, along with great links to great products, information, organizations and people.
We hope that you find helpful information, opportunities to engage, learn more, find out about upcoming events, etc., knowing we will keep adding stuff as we can.
Resources and Tools
WHAT is Youth Engagement?
People in Minnesota are talking about youth engagement in many different ways.
For some, youth engagement is about increasing participation in and connection to youth programs and opportunities of all kinds.
Others want youth to find a spark or be truly passionate about something that gives meaning to their lives.
For still others, youth engagement is about creating opportunities for youth voice in decisions and programs that affect them and partnerships among youth and adults to make communities better places for all.
Youth Engagement, Minnesota Style – University of Minnesota Extension (PowerPoint) Spring Regional Forum, Theresa K. Sullivan and Rebecca N. Saito. Comprehensive presentation that walks you through the many different ways people are talking about youth engagement; describes the “what,” “so what” and “now what” of youth engagement; has video and audio clips of “youth engagement wizards” to enhance practice, and more.
Free downloadable resources related to youth engagement including video, curriculum, toolkits, and more.
- The Innovation Center – Links to several free tools, research articles, training, and listserves related to youth and civic activism.
- Youth Engagement Brief – The Innovation Center (article) Describes the many goals and purposes of youth engagement.
- AP Youth Engagement Handbook – America’s Promise (PDF) Youth Engagement Activities for High School Dropout Prevention Summits
- Building an Effective After-school Program – HighScope Youth (PDF) Point-of-service quality matters most where young people feel safe, want to show up, and genuine learning occurs.
- Core Principles for Engaging Young People – Forum for Youth Investment (PDF) Includes the Continuum of Youth Engagement and Eight Principles of engaging youth in community change.
- Quality Matters – Youth Work Institute (PDF) Activities people can do with staff and young people for Youth Program Quality Initiative
- YE Framing the Issue – W.K. Kellogg Foundation Article describing background and framework for youth engagement.
Foundational Youth Engagement Resources – University of Minnesota Extension (PDF) Annotated bibliography: Descriptions and links to key youth engagement literature and documents.
- A statewide learning and teaching community through which people of all ages actively promote and support youth engagement.
- An evolving web of connections but currently involves participation from youth and adults from several youth organizations. We meet monthly and determine what would be most helpful in the support and promotion of youth engagement throughout the state. Currently, most of the organizations are metro area although we hope to continue to add youth organizations from greater Minnesota who can join our meetings on speakerphone and in person when possible.
- In the future, we hope to have a stronger Virtual-Youth Engagement Network (V-YEN) that will provide connection and community online. Stay tuned.
- Partner Organizations
- Upcoming Youth Engagement Events
- Case Studies of Youth Engagement in Minnesota
- Training Opportunities
- Youth Engagement Matters—Scheduled to launch Winter 08-09
- Youth as Facilitative Leaders
- Youth Engagement Statewide Initiative – To launch fall/winter 2008
- Youth Action Crew Toolkit
- Community Youth Action Crew (C-YAC, Hennepin County)
- Fall Howland Symposium on Youth Engagement
- Possible Youth Engagement Expo
- Possible New Directions for Youth Development special issue on youth engagement.
Posted with permission: Beki Saito
