Supporting Institutional Change

Rationale:

Supporting youth to create change in their communities is one example of various strategies that need to co-exist to create a broader environment of structural change toward greater inclusion and participation of all community members.

Purpose:

Our aim is to encourage and work with organizations to increase their ability to effectively engage young people in decision-making. We believe significant and lasting change is only possible with the transformation of existing organizational cultures to more effectively and meaningfully include youth in decision-making structures. 

Activities:

We offer consultative expertise and workshops to help organizations work toward a cultural shift where organizational vision, mission and governance take into account knowledge, experience and leadership that young people can bring.

Contact Program Manager, Violetta Ilkiw at vilkiw@laidlawfdn.org or 416.964.3614 ext. 308 for more information.

What are successful strategies to engage youth in decision-making?

To successfully engage youth in decision-making, organizations need to plan and put in place various strategies and structures.

These include:

• Review and revise relevant organizational policies at different levels of the organization: Board recruitment and retention, Management, human resources (including hiring policies), financial/ investment, staffing, volunteers to include young people
• Identify line items in the operational budget for youth engagement
• Establish clear expectations and roles for youth in decision-making
• Provide effective orientation and learning opportunities for youth and adults in order for them to recognize and develop a genuine respect and comfort with the knowledge, experiences and talents each brings
• Provide ongoing staff support
• Create opportunities and willingness for organizational risk-taking that may result in failure
• Understand developmental stages and interests of youth, to implement needed supports and structures to aid effective participation
• Provide youth with opportunities to build leadership, organizing skills, knowledge (systemic issues) so they can have more impact on decision-making.
• Provide staff with resources and support to prepare youth to effectively participate in decision-making
• Youth are included and actively involved in defining systems, structures, policies 

Key activities for successful engagement:

•  
  • Training and mentoring of youth and adults
  • Leadership support within organization (Board & senior staff champion)
  • Opportunities for meaningful participation of youth (shared power)
  • Review organizational culture & ability to include new and creative perspectives
  • Ongoing active recruitment of youth
  • Youth friendly structure
  • Build into operating budget & create sustained internal structure