Youth as Resources

“Many of the negative behaviors that young people exhibit are related to persistent and pervasive conditions of alienation from the institutions they live in daily.”  Bill Lofquist, Youth Advocate

Providing opportunities for youth to become more engaged in their school has numerous benefits to the school and to young people. Students can identify conditions that need changing.  They can advocate for themselves and their peer and contribute valuable information in problem-solving or decision-making processes.

How do adults treat young people?

As one high school student said: “We are not your future, we are your PRESENT in this school.”

Youth Engagement Leads to CONNECTEDNESS

Students who have feelings of belonging, acceptance, or connectedness in their school, have more commitment to education. They believe that school is important to their future and that the adults in the school care about them and their goals.  Keeping the school environment safe and engaging students in activities at their school enhances feelings of CONNECTEDNESS.

While not all programs or decisions are developed with youth partners but take every opportunity to include YOUTH VOICE from all groups of young people into consideration in decision-making.

Here are some strategies to increase opportunities for youth connectedness, build resiliency in the environment and mitigate risk factors:

The Resiliency Wheel: Bonding Connectedness

High levels of school connectedness are a powerful predictor of a positive climate.

Youth participation opportunities

  • Principal advisory groups
  • Student lead Parent/teacher conferences
  • Buddy systems
  • Class meetings
  • Peer mediation
  • Teen courts
  • Teen Town Hall
  • Youth Advisory Councils
  • Youth Participatory Action Research

To hear Principal Jen McBeth talk about building relationships, click play below.

To hear Principal Kent Thompson talk about engaging with students, click play below.

What’s Next: To share information with staff and other stakeholders using the handout or PowerPoint. Next, move on to learn how to Engaging Partners.