How to Effectively Engage Youth in Your Community: Tips for Organizations

Are you struggling to find ways to involve the youth in your community? I’m here to tell you that you are not the only one. One of the many challenges I’ve come across throughout my time in non-profits is understanding how to engage the youth you already have in your community.  

The fact is, youth are already there, right in your community, waiting to be engaged. What your role, as an organization is, to take the time to understand how to reach out to them effectively and create opportunities that resonate with their interests and aspirations.

Where are the young people?

Young people are right under your nose, waiting for opportunities to contribute and make a difference in their communities. They want to help; they want to give back. So, instead of asking where they are, start asking yourself how you can engage them. It's time to shift our focus from mere existence to active involvement.

Why should you engage youth?

Our minds are quick to dismiss youth because we assume they won’t have anything to offer us, or they don’t have the specific skill sets needed to meet your organization's demand. The failure to identify and understand that youth are THE untapped resource of all non-profit organizations will only harm your organization's efforts.

Just because youth are young, does not mean they do not have value, capacity and willingness to give back to your organization. Just because they are young, does not mean that they do not have a network, skill set or talents that can advantage them.

Engaging youth can only propel your organization and its mission forward. It will expose you to new ideas and perspectives, open up your volunteer base, fill in skills gaps within your organization and overall uplift your community. Choosing to ignore that will only be a detriment to the work you do and the people you serve.

How can we engage youth?

Here are three ways you can effectively engage youth in your community:

1. Invest Time in Building Relationships: If you want to attract youth to your cause, you need to invest time in building relationships with them. Host events catered to them but still in line with your organization, create opportunities for dialogue and conversations and make them feel welcome and valued within your organization.
   

2. Seek Their Feedback and Ideas: Youth have valuable insights and ideas that can benefit your organization. Set up systems and processes to actively seek their feedback and involve them in decision-making processes. Whether it’s setting up a focus group (I can help with that, just check it out here), asking for feedback on initiatives or setting up feedback interviews with the youth who are already involved in your organization, you can never go wrong with seeking out their feedback and ideas.
   

3. Collaborate on Meaningful Projects: Engaging youth isn't just about giving them tasks to do; it's about involving them in meaningful projects and initiatives that serve the community. Co-create projects that align with their interests and provide them with opportunities for growth and development. For example, if you are interested in running a clothing drive, why not ask what they think? Why not ask them to build it from the ground up alongside your team? Youth might have a different perspective or idea that can make your clothing drive a success.
   

By actively engaging youth in your community, you're not just investing in their future; you're investing in the future of your organization and your cause.

Interested in reading more about youth engagement? Check out some of these posts:

• What is Youth Engagement?

• What Do Youth Want from Networking Events: Survey Results and Insights

• Youth Outreach 101: Tips for Recruiting Young Volunteers