Youth Mainstreaming Toolkit

Does your organization have a youth voice program? Has it created a youth action council, or have a place for youth on the board of directors? Are you wrestling, because for some reason, it still doesn’t feel right?

Maybe you’ve just heard of the concept of Youth Mainstreaming and want to learn more. This section of our website, an online book, is for you.

Introduction

Freechild is committed to engaging young people throughout the organizations, agencies, programs and activities that affect them most. In order to be most useful to the people who make decisions in these places, we’re making our popular book, The Freechild Institute Youth Mainstreaming Toolkit, available online free for the first time.

This book is a short introduction to Youth Mainstreaming. Youth Mainstreaming is a strategy that engages youth as partners throughout every part of an organization to promote efficacy, equity and empowerment for everyone involved. It is was developed in Europe and is used internationally today for engaging youth throughout organizational operations. It was designed for youth workers, program directors, nonprofit executives, foundation officers, government employees and others who want to weave young people throughout the various operations of their institutions.

It is essential that before you or your organization begin adopting the term or trying to implement the strategy that you read all of the contents included here.

Throughout the following sections, the Freechild Institute has adapted the international practice to reflect our beliefs and work. Our Youth Mainstreaming Toolkit was written after 15 years of teaching these basics across the United States and Canada. The Freechild Institute would love to teach your organization, conference or community about Youth Mainstreaming, too. As you read it and have questions, comments, concerns or considerations, please share them in the comments section of each page. For more information about this book or others, please contact us.

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Share your thoughts in the comments below! For more information about how the Freechild Institute can support Youth Mainstreaming in your community or organization, contact us.