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Involving Youth In Neighborhood Activities

A healthy neighborhood effort will endeavor to involve all members of the community. If you are interested in tapping the energy of your neighborhood's youth, you will find that the results are well worth the effort. Here are some ideas for engaging the attention and interests of youth.

Like any program, one targeting youth should follow a basic development cycle -- a process that is systematic and ongoing:

Assessing the community's needs
Planning the program
Lining up resources
Acting on the plan
Nourishing, monitoring, and evaluating....and back to number one
Within this basic cycle, experience has shown youth involvement at all stages to be a necessary ingredient for generating interest, enthusiasm, and results. The degree of involvement can vary -- from adults presenting young people with a series of options in the planning stage to adolescents identifying needs and designing programs with minimal adult guidance. In all cases partnership, not paternalism, is the by-word.

For a program to truly benefit teens and the community, it should:

Have a plan to attract participants and supporters. Involve teens at all levels of the project -- planning, fundraising, carrying out the project, evaluating.
Address a problem or issue perceived as important by teens.
Offer opportunities for teens to make their own decisions and cope with the consequences. Include a learning component.
Earn the community's respect.
Promote responsibility and enhance self-esteem.
Encourage participation of all teens, not just those who are easily motivated.
Build on teens' need for friendship -- a central theme in adolescents' daily life.