The Vision

Youth Civic Engagement is not an isolated effort; rather it is a long-term vision of a community that fully integrates young people into its civic life. What, for example, does it take to institutionalize roles for young people in public safety, the use of public space, municipal planning, nonprofit governance, and the electoral process? What kind of training, supports, resources and ongoing relationships are needed to change the status quo in permanent and meaningful ways? The International Youth Foundation has framed a vision that any community serious about youth civic engagement should take to heart:

Opportunities need to be visibly and substantively linked together so that young people see ongoing options to participate meaningfully in organizations and activities they believe will make a difference to someone. Equally important, young people need to know -- or, to state it more forcefully, need to be able to envision -- how they might build the skills that allow them to act on their interests and beliefs. Action starts with building awareness -- making sure that young people are aware of what goes on in housing revitalization or political organizing or the arts. But it does not end there. Young people have to be introduced to various roles, involved in activities, and trained and supported as they take on increasing responsibilities.

For more about youth civic engagement approaches and principles, the reader is referred to the Resources section, which includes references to many relevant organizations, websites and readings.