Full resource: Engaging Youth

Date published: 2011

Source: The Orton Family Foundation

Community-based planning approaches can benefit greatly from the voice of youth, as younger people can offer fresh perspectives and a different set of priorities which may challenge the status quo in a productive way. Youth can also benefit personally from this process, from building self-confidence, leadership skills and a civic mindset, to gaining respect from older members of the community.

This resource lays out comprehensive guidelines for engaging youth. It covers topics such as creating a youth-friendly civic environment, preparing for youth engagement, attracting and sustaining youth participation, tips for developing youth engagement partnerships, including youth in community-wide engagement activities, and designing youth-specific engagement activities. It also includes resources such as case studies, an extensive reference list for further information, youth engagement checklists and a project planning review outline.

This guide is published to support the The Orton Family Foundation’s Heart & Soul community planning program, an approach that engages citizens in land use planning as a pathway to vibrant, enduring communities.