yOUTH eNGAGEMENT: mAKING iT hAPPEN

gOALS for tODAY…gOALS for tODAY…

Develop a greater understanding of meaningful youth engagement

+ Learn about tools and strategies to successfully engage youth

Feeling confident that youth engagement is important and that you can play a role!

a fEW aCTIVITIES…a fEW aCTIVITIES…

involving play dough and standing upinvolving play dough and standing up

Term What it is… What it is not…

Term What it is… What it is not…

Youth engagement

Youth feeling empowered as partners to make decisions

Youth having little to no influence or decision-making power

Youth/adult partnerships

Youth and adults having equal control and accountability in the project

Adults stepping back and surrender all power and responsibility

Adult ally Adults acting as teachers and learners; “Power with youth”

“Power over youth”

Youth Untapped resources within communities

Youth aren’t problems that need to be solved

yOUTH eNGAGEMENT vOCABULARY…yOUTH eNGAGEMENT vOCABULARY…

yOUTH eNGAGEMENT…yOUTH eNGAGEMENT…

“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.”

The New Mentality

gETTING it sTARTED and kEEPING it gOING…gETTING it sTARTED and kEEPING it gOING…

The New Mentality

aDULT aLLIES aRE…aDULT aLLIES aRE…

Brainstorm the

characteristics of an adult ally

sTARTING to tHINK aBOUT sTARTING to tHINK aBOUT yOUR rOLE…yOUR rOLE…

a wORD about aDULT aLLIES…a wORD about aDULT aLLIES…

yOUTH fRIENDLYoPEN mINDEDuNDERSTANDINGtRUTHFULhELPFUL

eNCOURAGINGnOWLEDGABLEgENUINEaPPROACHABLEgOOD LISTENEReASY gOINGmEANINGFULeNERGETICnON-jUDGEMENTALtHOUGHTFUL

fOUR pILLARS of yOUTH fOUR pILLARS of yOUTH eNGAGEMENT…eNGAGEMENT…

Respect Listen Understand Communicate

Source: Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement

bARRIERS and oBSTACLES to bARRIERS and oBSTACLES to mEANINGFUL mEANINGFUL

yOUTH eNGAGMENT…yOUTH eNGAGMENT…

What are they? At your tables, identify 3 barriers,

roadblocks or obstacles…

bARRIERS and oBSTACLES to bARRIERS and oBSTACLES to mEANINGFUL yOUTH eNGAGEMENT…mEANINGFUL yOUTH eNGAGEMENT…

Lack of organizational support Under-investment of time and resources Poor logistics Unclear roles and objectives Lack of training or understanding YE practice Little or No recognition of youth contribution of

time and input

tOP 10 tOOLS to mAKE it wORK!tOP 10 tOOLS to mAKE it wORK!

What are they? At your tables, discuss the various tools

provided in your toolkit…if you could only keep 10 tools in your toolkit, what would they be?

tOP 10 tIPS to mAKE it wORK!tOP 10 tIPS to mAKE it wORK!1. Take time to really LISTEN2. Welcome ideas and validate opinions3. Allow youth to make mistakes4. Allow yourself to make mistakes5. Balance the power6. Hold realistic expectations7. Never underestimate the potential of youth8. Be real with young people9. Practice what you preach10. Treat youth with respect

and a few hELPFUL links…and a few hELPFUL links… Visit:

www.onthepoint.cawww.daretodreamprogram.cawww.thenewmentality.caReady, Set, Engage! by Nancy Pereira of the New MentalityA step-by-step guide to Youth Engagement in the Child and Youth Mental Health sector

Erin Smith,Youth Engagement CoordinatorThe Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at CHEO

ersmith@cheo.on.ca