Youth Participation: Making It Real

Thanks to advocacy for and by youth leaders, it is now commonplace at meetings across the country for several folks to stress 'If we are going to plan for young people, we need their voices at this table.' However, reasons for bringing young people to the table vary. Advocates range from those who appreciate the importance of understanding the perspective of youth, on through those who also are dedicated to promoting youth development and empowerment, and on to those who stress that youth participation benefits families, adults, organizations, planners, policy makers, communities, and society in general.