Meaningful Youth Engagement
“No one has asked me.”
In 2016, Anchorage Youth Vote asked approximately 11,000 Anchorage School District students in 5th – 12th grade if they had ever been invited to be part of the decision-making process about a community issue that directly affects young people. 65% of students reported that NO, no one had asked them. Youth Vote believes this points to an urgent need for increased youth engagement in decision-making, and since 2016, we have incorporated meaningful youth engagement as a key part of our mission.
Anchorage youth vote is working to ensure that all youth are included, heard, and empowered through youth-led initiatives.
What is meaningful youth engagement?
Meaningful youth engagement means that young people are free to create projects that are meaningful to them with support from caring adults.
Empowering youth to do the work they believe in benefits us all.
Levels of youth leadership
The top 3 levels of this graphic are the levels that reflect the highest amount of engagement and meet our definition of youth leadership. However, it’s normal to move between levels of engagement as your organization evolves and grows!