Engaging youth in meaningful participation activities

Understanding Youth Engagement

Youth involvement can benefit organisations and their programmes as well as the youth themselves. Programmes that are developed in partnership with youth are more likely to be effective at engaging the population and to have a greater impact. Involving youth as partners in making decisions that affect them, especially those that are in vulnerable situations, increases the likelihood that the decisions will be accepted, adopted, and become part of their everyday lives. Empowering youth to identify and respond to community needs, helps them become empathetic and reflective individuals, setting them on a course to potentially continue on this path in their future.

Meaningful youth engagement views youth as equal partners in the decision-making process.

Programmes and activities are developed with youth, rather than for youth. In this kind of equal partnership, both adults and young people need to be fully engaged, open to change in how things are done, and share a unified vision for the partnership.

Considerations for organisations that want to involve youth in a meaningful way

This section lists some suggested steps to consider when trying to engage young people and ensure the experience is meaningful for the youth and for the organisation.

Assess

Consider where your programme currently is in the sector of youth engagement and where you would like to be. Not every programme or activity can or should always involve youth at the top level. One tool is “Hart’s Ladder of Youth Participation”, which states that “Young people’s participation cannot be discussed without considering power relations and the struggle for equal rights. It is important that all young people have the opportunity to learn to participate in programmes which directly affect their lives. This is especially so for disadvantaged children for through participation with others, such children learn that to struggle against discrimination and repression, and to fight for their equal rights in solidarity with others, is itself a fundamental democratic right” Roger A. Hart, Children’s Participation: From Tokenism to Citizenship

The level of youth involvement may vary based on the capacity of programme staff to spend time and resources on involving youth, the purpose of involving youth, and support within the organisation for involving youth. Organisational infrastructure and support for involving youth are key concerns for sustainability of youth involvement.

Plan
Look at your organisation’s programmes and determine where it would be most beneficial and feasible to involve youth. Define the purpose of involving youth in the selected activity. Based on the purpose, determine how to engage youth and identify the most appropriate level of involvement. Talk with other organisations and agencies that are already partnering with youth to learn how they went about doing this and consider any recommendations they have. Collaborating with other organisations that are engaging youth may help you avoid implementation challenges that others have already faced before.

Implement
Identify how you will recruit youth and how you will keep them engaged in the process. Issues to consider are how to recruit youth who are representative of the population you serve, what skills and capabilities the youth need, and what training should be provided. Also provide training opportunities for organisation staff who will be working with youth target groups to ensure they understand the rationale and purpose of partnering with youth, how it will benefit both the programme and the youth, and the skills necessary to effectively and participatorily work with youth.

Evaluate
Develop a plan to review and monitor the youth involvement process, based itself in a participatory activity. Engage the youth and adults to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of involving youth in the organisation and programme as well as its impact on the youth themselves.

Examples of youth involvement
There are many ways in which youth can be involved in organisational decision-making structures and programme development. Involving youth from the beginning of a project is ideal. Some suggestions about how and where youth can be involved:

Promoting programme/activities to other youth and adults
Youth should have a lead role in promoting and presenting information about the offered programme and activities. Recruiting youth and getting them to participate in programmes and activities can be strengthened when their peers describe what is available and how these opportunities were developed based on youth interests. Youth can also identify locations (e.g. libraries, schools, and recreational centres) that are frequented by potential participants.

School health councils/youth advisory boards
In rural and urban areas alike, there are certain governing bodies such as library councils, parks and recreations boards, school boards, and even city councils which offer youth participation and many of them have leadership groups that give youth full voting privileges. Although this may not be allowed by some organisations, youth can still be given a chance to be heard as representatives of the communities in which they live.

Providing technical assistance on youth culture
Youth can train adults who are interested in learning about youth culture. Youth can share the interests of youth in general, conduct group dynamics on the relevance and use of innovative technologies such as web-based social networking, or serve on a panel to talk about what it takes to engage today’s youth.

Participating in action research
Young people make excellent data collectors. As they contribute to tasks such as conducting interviews, taking photos, and reviewing feedback from surveys, they are also developing analytical skills that can serve them well in other roles.

Developing evaluation instrument
Youth can brainstorm to create survey questions with adults. Once a draft of the survey is completed, youth can fill out the instrument and then provide feedback on what items were clear and unclear.

Developing criteria for success
Soliciting honest feedback from youth will help build methods into the evaluation process that can strengthen a programme or project. Youth can provide insights on what outcomes they would like to see as a result of programmes or projects.

Collecting evaluation data
Youth can take photographs of the final results of project work, administer surveys, conduct structured interviews, and participate in focus groups.

Assisting in analysing results
Youth can learn how to enter data into software programs, read through data to sort out common themes, and help with interpreting comments, reactions, and behaviours generated by participants. A guide describing what to look for during the analysis may be helpful.

Presenting results
Once youth have had a role in all levels of a programme, most youth are willing to share the results of their work. Giving them the opportunity to share what a difference the experience has made in their lives will also resonate with the audience. This is very important if youth are presenting information to local, national and European leaders who can serve as potential partners and also help make a difference in the community.

Key Strategies for Engaging and Motivating Youth

Involve youth in decision-making

- Youth councils: Establish youth councils or advisory boards into youth organisations, to provide input on community issues
- Participatory budgeting: Allow youth to allocate funds for projects they care about.
- Tailored activities: Offer activities that align with young people's interests and passions.

Create Meaningful Opportunities

- Community projects: Organise service projects that address local needs and concerns.
- Collaborative projects: Involve youth in planning and decision-making processes.
- Youth-led initiatives: Support youth-driven projects and initiatives.
- Mentorship programs: Pair youth with mentors who can offer guidance and support.
- Encourage critical thinking and argumentation

Provide Training and Support:

- Leadership development: Offer workshops and training on leadership skills.
- Communication skills: Teach effective communication techniques.
- Conflict resolution: Provide training on conflict resolution strategies.

Foster a Safe and Inclusive Environment:

- Respectful dialogue: Promote open and respectful communication.
- Safe spaces: Create inclusive and welcoming environments where young people feel comfortable expressing themselves.
- Inclusion: Ensure that all youth feel valued and included.
- Mental health support: Offer resources and support for mental health issues among their peers.

Foster a Sense of Belonging and Community

- Inclusive groups: Create diverse and inclusive groups that represent a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.
- Community building activities: Organise events and activities that foster a sense of belonging and connection.
- Peer-to-peer support: Encourage peer-to-peer support and collaboration among young people.

Recognize and Reward Achievements

- Public acknowledgement: Celebrate youth achievements and contributions through awards, certificates, or social media recognition.
- Opportunities for growth: Offer opportunities for advancement, such as leadership roles or participation in higher-level programs.

Leverage Technology and Social Media

- Online platforms: Create online platforms for youth to connect and collaborate.
- Social media: Use social media to reach out to youth and promote engagement opportunities;
- Virtual events: Offer virtual events and workshops to reach a wider audience, facilitate dialogue and exchange of ideas.
- Digital storytelling: Encourage young people to share their stories and experiences through digital media.
- Youth-produced media: Encourage young people to create content that reflects their experiences and perspectives.

Reinforcing trust in meaningful youth participation

Building trust between youth and youth workers or other decision-makers is crucial for fostering meaningful youth participation. This can be achieved, for example, through open dialogue, regular updates, and inclusive language, youth-centred decision-making, capacity building and training. By implementing these strategies, you can help to build trust, foster meaningful youth participation, and create a more inclusive and equitable decision-making environment contributing for Social Cohesion.