Youth engagement gives young adults currently or formerly impacted by the child welfare system a voice and informs systems to improve services for youth. Done well, youth engagement embraces a spirit of co-design, and can result in better organizational decision-making and greater equity. However, if the engagement lacks authenticity and adults are unwilling to share their power, these efforts can fail to achieve their goals and, at worst, may do more harm than good.
When seeking the voices and perspectives of youth with lived experience, agencies and organizations should expect to spend time preparing the youth for their work. It is equally important for agencies to take time to prepare themselves before taking steps to connect with youth participants.
This brief offers some questions for agencies to consider before undertaking a new youth engagement effort or when making changes to an existing approach. It also illustrates effective power sharing and offers examples from agencies with successful youth engagement strategies.
This brief is the first in a three-part series on youth engagement values and approaches, developed in partnership with experienced youth and family advocates from Family Voices United,1,2. a collaborative project among Casey Family Programs, Children’s Trust Fund Alliance, FosterClub, and Generations United. Other briefs in the series include: