Why is youth engagement a critical part of achieving PYD? In this module, youth development professionals and volunteers who serve children and youth ages 5-18 in OST settings will point to three components of youth engagement: youth voice, leadership opportunities, and youth-adult partnerships. They will learn how to build a program that authentically engages youth, and they will explore examples of successful youth engagement experiences. (2 hours)
Youth become engaged when they feel a sense of belonging and are able to choose activities that build their skills in areas that interest them.
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Objectives
- Define youth engagement, and identify elements of youth engagement.
- Explain how authentic engagement of diverse youth benefits the youth, the adult leaders, the OST program, and the larger community.
- Summarize how to communicate with young people to increase youth voice.
- Give examples of how to engage children and youth in learning experiences that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership skills.
