Youth Engagement in Youth Summits

Youth Summits are opportunities for young people to become engaged in positive, powerful and passionate action to change the world. They create short, safe time and space where youth and their adult allies can learn and grow, share youth voice, and become engaged in what matters most to them. Also called Youth Conferences, Youth Summits should increase the inspiration, education, ability and impact of empowerment-oriented action through youth/adult partnerships.

The Basics of Youth Summits

Youth Summits should…

Assess youth needs from the perspectives of youth
Focus on identifying practical, tangible action with immediate, identifiable outcomes that are visible to youth
Create safe and healthy networking opportunities for youth and adult allies
Provide opportunities for youth and adult allies to commit to doing something and taking action afterwards
Create opportunities for youth and adult allies to lead and follow throughout, including developing skills in communication, teamwork, problem-solving and other lifelong areas
Address adultism directly and deliberately bridge gaps between age and cultural gaps

Benefits of Youth Summits

During and after Youth Summits, young people should…

Get the chance to meet other youth and adult allies in a specific community or interested in a specific issue area
Add youth voice to issues affecting entire communities or organizations or fields
Become active in practical, visible action that can benefit them today and in the future
Build their knowledge, skills and abilities to make their own ideas and the concerns of their families and communities heard

Improve your program or organization. Learn about the fear of youth today.

Tips for Planning Youth Summits

Develop clear big picture objectives for the Youth Summit
Identify SMART goals for the Youth Summit that are Specific, Measureable, Actionable, Realistic and Time-Sensitive
This is a group project – delegate as much responsibility as possible to create youth ownership and adult investment
Develop a clear decision-making process
Estimate how much planning time is needed, then double it.
Obligate all partner organizations to commit staff time and name which staff in their organization will become involved
Hold an orientation for all youth planners to help them understand what kind of commitment is necessary to participate in the Youth Summit
Help everyone involved, youth and adult allies, understand the Youth Summit requires hard-working volunteers who can be held individually accountability for their roles
Caution everyone involved against burnout
Required elements of every Youth Summit include:
- Inspirational and motivational activities
- Interactive activities
- Hands-on, directly applicable learning opportunities
- Social times and non-facilitated spaces
- Food, snacks and drinks
- Action planning opportunities
Pre-registration is highly recommended
Make participants feel important and special for attending. You can…
- Limit the number of attendees
- Give special certificates to all attendees
- Send out a press release with participants’ names
- Give t-shirts and other swag to attendees

You Might Like…

Elsewhere Online

“How to Hold A Youth Summit Planning Guide” by America’s Promise Alliance
“How to Hold a Youth Summit Planning Guide” by Search Institute
“Preparing the Next Generation Managing and Presenting a Youth Summit” by the National Park Service

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Share your thoughts in the comments below! For more information about how Freechild Institute can support youth + social change through youth summits in your community or organization, contact us.

The Practice of Youth Engagement by Adam Fletcher!