BEST REASONS FOR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

Please MARK  THE THREE (3) best reasons for engaging youth in important social change
and decision-making processes (Chose Three):

 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT - Participating youth gain skills, knowledge and positive attitudes
that (competencies) will help them succeed as individuals (civic, education, career)

 FAIRNESS TO YOUTH – Because youth face numerous challenges to reach a secure future
these days; they deserve real-life opportunities to help shape that future

 HELPFUL IDEAS AND ENTHUSIASM – Youth provide unique ideas, energy and creativity
that will improve the results of important decision and change-making processes

 SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT - Engaging and empowering youth contributes to

efforts to reduce social, economic and civic disparities

 HELPS CONTROL PROBLEMS YOUTH CREATE – Youth are violent, apathetic and prone
to risky behaviors; engaging youth is a way of managing this problem

 YOUTH ARE POWERFUL ROLE MODELS who can motivate and educate others, and build
the relationships and good will (social capital) necessary for change

 OUR COMMUNITY’S ABILITY TO SUPPORT YOUTH WILL IMPROVE – Adults and

organizations will improve their willingness and ability to support positive youth development

 ACCELERATED PROGRESS TO SOLUTIONS - Youth participation will motivate adults to

cooperate and craft more speedy and effective solutions.

 IMPORTANT FOR FOOD AND FITNESS – Youth engagement is a fundamental element of

Food and Fitness Initiative and we must demonstrate this commitment to our funders

 OTHER -
 OBSTACLES TO YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
MARK  THE THREE (3) most likely challenges or obstacles to youth engagement
(Chose three):

 TRANSPORTATION DIFFICULTIES - Transportation to related meetings, workshops and

events is difficult for many youth to find or arrange

 ADULTS FAVOR HIGH ACHIEVERS… Adults tend to encourage participation of “hot shots”
while over-looking the average, struggling or marginalized youth

 BUDGETS ARE TIGHT - It is difficult for organizations to find staff time and financial
resources to support youth engagement

 ACADEMIC DEMANDS - Youth are discouraged from missing class or homework for
community service because of the emphasis on academic achievement and test results.

 INADEQUATE TRAINING AND SUPPORT - Youth do not get the information, training and
support needed to effectively participate in change and decision-making processes (and
adults do not always know what is needed)

 ADULTS ARE SKEPTICAL OR PATRONIZE YOUTH - Many adults are not truly convinced it
is worth the time and effort to engage youth in important decision and change-making
processes.

 YOUTH LOOSE THEIR MOTIVATION - Youth loose their focus because their role is not
meaningful or it is not clearly defined by their adult supporters

 ADULTS MANIPULATE YOUTH - Youth perspectives are discounted because youth are
perceived to be (or are) manipulated by adults promoting their own political or policy agenda

 LACK OF PARENTAL SUPPORT… Parents do not provide the necessary support or

encouragement for youth to get involved in community service opportunities.

 OTHER –
 TYPES OF ACTION - HOW CAN YOUTH BE MOST HELPFUL?
From among the following broader types of social or political change strategies, please MARK
 THE THREE (3) most likely to benefit from the involvement of youth (Choose Three):

 ADVOCACY – at school, city, county, state or national levels

 MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS – Use of multi-media to educate and influence others

 YOUTH GOVERNANCE – Participation with adults on boards, commissions and committees

 EDUCATE - Peers, parents, community and policymakers.

 GRANT-MAKING - Youth evaluate and make grants to others to promote desired change

 PARTICIPATION IN COALITIONS – Help form or participate on community, city, regional or

statewide coalitions

 RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENTS – Design and conduct surveys, interviews and focus
groups; collect data.

 YOUTH-RUN BUSINESSES - to create youth jobs and advance social causes

 PROGRAM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION – Youth help form, implement and improve
social, education, or health-related programs

 PLANNING AND REFORM PROCESSES – Youth engage equally alongside adults in long-
term planning and reform processes

 EVALUATION – Develop and participate in measuring success of programs and policies

 PROTESTS OR BOYCOTTS – To draw attention to unfair of illegal practices

 EVENT PLANNING – Organize and plan events

 OTHER –

EXPLANATION OR COMMENT:
REALMS OF INFLUENCE: WHAT ENVIRONMENTS ARE MOST
LIKELY TO CHANGE DUE TO YOUTH ENGAGEMENT?
MARK  THE THREE (3) most likely to change due to youth engagement (Choose Three):

 SCHOOL

 FAMILY

 GOVERNMENT DECISIONS (POLICY-MAKING)

 NEIGHBORHOOD

 PEERS

 HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

 COMMUNITY

 FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

 WORKPLACE

 MEDIA

 OTHER

EXPLANATION OR COMMENT:
 SKILLS YOUTH NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE
MARK  THE THREE (3) skills that you believe are most important to develop among youth
who are engaged social change and decision-making processes (Choose Three):

 WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH ADULTS as partners or adversaries.

 ASCERTAIN CONCERNS OF PEERS AND COMMUNITY through surveys, focus groups,

and other outreach tools.

 COMMUNICATE INFORMATION AND IDEAS SUCCINCTLY in a variety of formats and

venues.

 ASSESS PERSONAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES and how they can continue to
develop as an individual, change agent and professional

 PLAN AND CONDUCT A MEETING, project or campaign

 ASCERTAIN AND UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVES OF OTHERS and be capable of

articulating challenges or opposition they might encounter

 RESPOND TO CRITICAL QUESTIONING from adults and their peers

 BE CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITIES and thus capable of commanding respect from adults
and other youth

 OVERCOME CONFLICTS and challenges to work effectively as a team

 EMPLOY VARIOUS RESEARCH STRATEGIES necessary to get information about a new

topic or issue
 OTHER

EXPLANATION OR COMMENT:

KNOWLEDGE YOUTH NEED TO BE EFFECTIVE

MARK  THE THREE (3) types of knowledge that you believe are most important to impart to
youth who are engaged in social change and decision-making processes:

 THE NUANCES OF THE PARTICULAR PROCESS OR OPPORTUNITY they are engaged

in, such as the process and protocol of a formal board or commission, planning process or
informal committee

 SOCIAL CHANGE AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS including the variety of ways
youth are and can be engaged in social change and decision policy-making processes

 THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE of the particular public policy issue(s) they are working on,
including how that issue is framed, related jargon, policy options, recent or proposed actions
and the perspectives of key stakeholders.

 CONCERNS OF A CROSS-SECTION OF THEIR PEERS (other youth) so that they can

effectively represent their interests during planning and policy-making processes

 CONCEPT OF POWER, types of power, and its affect on the outcome of planning and
policy-making processes

 LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT…Its structure, role and broader responsibilities as well
as the obesity related issues and departments within each branch

 FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS including the concepts of

stakeholders, advocates, administrative and legislative decision-making, and the difference
between the private and public sector

 KEY LAWS AND REGULATIONS as well as key court decisions affecting the issue(s) they
are working on as well as planning and policy-making decisions on a local level
 BUDGET MAKING PROCESSES on all levels of government and the idea that these
processes affect policy-making and program planning decisions

 OTHER – [

EXPLANATION OR COMMENT:

HELP ADULTS NEED TO EFFECIVELY SUPPORT YOUTH:

MARK  THE THREE (3) things most likely to encourage, prepare and support your
organization’s efforts to engage youth in obesity prevention (Choose Three):

 AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM, such as mini-grants, to leverage our organization’s own

resources for youth engagement and funds we might raise from other sources

 PEER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, such as phone calls and meetings where we can
learn from and support on another (who are committed to youth engagement)

 WEBSITE WITH BEST PRACTICES …Clearly described youth engagement ideas that are
suitable to my organization, cost-effective, and are indicated as either promising,
successfully piloted, or backed by data.

 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT TRAINING conference/workshops with representatives of other

organizations committed to youth engagement in obesity prevention.

 HELP CONNECTING WITH OTHERS such as community-wide or regional coalitions with

shared policy and social change goals

 EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON POLICY ISSUE OR SOCIAL CHANGE EFFORT

documenting the scope and consequences of the problem and the value of youth
engagement to motivate others in my organization

 READY ACCESS TO ASSISTANCE from an organization or specific individual with

experience supporting youth engaged in planning and policy-making processes

 STEP-BY-STEP TRAINING MANUAL and materials to initiate and support youth

engagement/obesity prevention ideas relevant to my organization
 RECOGNITION, AWARDS OR PUBLICITY that enhances our public relations or that helps
market our product.

 OTHER – [

EXPLANATION OR COMMENT:

EVALUATION - HOW SHOULD WE MEASURE THE SUCCESS

OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT?
MARK  THE THREE (3) most important indicators of a successful youth engagement effort:

 YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES EXPANDED…Youth engagement in social change and decision-

making processes has been institutionalized or has expanded into other areas.

 CHANGE SOUGHT BY YOUTH HAS BEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED by policy, budget

allocation or tradition

 TARGETED ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED- There are measurable changes in the

conditions of the targeted environment that encourage social change

 BEHAVIOR HAS CHANGED… The targeted population of youth is (by some quantitative
measurement)

 YOUTH COMPETENCIES DEVELOPED… Participating youth show greater competences

and resiliency (youth development) that contributes to their success.

 MORE THAN ONE APPROACH HAS BEEN ADOPTED… Our organization/community has
adopted multiple strategies to achieve the policy or social change goals sought by the youth.

 REPLICATION… The intervention, program, or strategy to create change promoted by the

youth has been replicated

 SUPPORT FROM KEY PEOPLE… The most important or respected audiences and
stakeholders support the intervention, program or strategy promoted by the youth
 MEDIA ATTENTION - The intervention, program, strategy promoted by the youth has
attracted media attention or received an award

 COST-EFFECTIVENESS ESTABLISHED - The intervention, program or strategy promoted

by the youth has proven to be cost-effective and sustainable

 OTHER -

EXPLANATION OR COMMENT: