Authentic Youth Engagement

This authentic youth engagement research study was based on an evaluation of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative® program, which is “a system-level intervention designed to improve the educational, employment, permanency, housing, parenting readiness, health, and financial capability outcomes of youth aging out of foster care.” (Id.) The initiative defines authentic youth engagement (AYE) as “young people fully understand[ing] their rights and responsibilities... actively lead[ing] the process of making decisions on issues that affect them in order to support their successful transition to adulthood and a healthy, productive adult life.” (Id.) The study sought to address two questions: (1) How do youth and staff/professionals define/conceptualize AYE? (2) What are youths’ and staff/professionals’ recommended strategies and approaches for authentically engaging youth? The results are based on responses from four of the high-performing sites in different states: Georgia, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Tennessee. Four themes emerged regarding AYE: youth-adult partnership & connection, youth empowerment/voice/agency, adult engagement skills, and making change/having impact. Three recommendations emerged regarding building trust, relationships, connections with youth; being youth-centered and youth-empowering; and facilitating improved adults/staff/program efforts. To learn more, see the full article and figures & data.