Youth Engagement

Free Action Resources

Free downloadable resources related to youth engagement including video, curriculum, toolkits, and more.

• The Innovation Center – Links to several free tools, research articles, training, and listserves related to youth and civic activism.
• Youth Engagement Brief – The Innovation Center (article) Describes the many goals and purposes of youth engagement.
• AP Youth Engagement Handbook – America’s Promise (PDF) Youth Engagement Activities for High School Dropout Prevention Summits
• Building an Effective After-school Program – HighScope Youth (PDF) Point-of-service quality matters most where young people feel safe, want to show up, and genuine learning occurs.
• Core Principles for Engaging Young People – Forum for Youth Investment (PDF) Includes the Continuum of Youth Engagement and Eight Principles of engaging youth in community change.
• Quality Matters – Youth Work Institute (PDF) Activities people can do with staff and young people for Youth Program Quality Initiative
• YE Framing the Issue – W.K. Kellogg Foundation Article describing background and framework for youth engagement.
• Promoting Participation of Older Youth in Out-of-School Time Programs and Opportunities — A white paper on engaging older youth in after school programming.

Youth Action Crew

What’s all this YAC about Youth Action Crews? Youth develop maps of their communities to show high quality, youth friendly programs.

Youth Action Crew interviewing kids in Minneapolis. See other photos of the YAC in action.

Youth Engagement Statewide Initiative (YESI)

Youth Engagement Statewide Initiative (YESI) – University of Minnesota Extension (PDF) This plan describes strategies related to awareness-raising, learning and teaching, research and evaluation, and infrastructure requirements for promoting and supporting youth engagement throughout the state.

Research and Evaluation

Foundational Youth Engagement Resources – University of Minnesota Extension (PDF) Annotated bibliography: Descriptions and links to key youth engagement literature and documents.