Youth engagement can improve public health initiatives. Research shows that engaging youth can lead to more satisfying, useful, and relevant programs; increased youth empowerment; and increased representation in the public health field of youth who are Black, Indigenous, or from other communities of color. Taken together, shifts toward greater youth engagement may improve health outcomes for the most disproportionately affected racial and ethnic communities. (Youth engagement refers to asking youth for their ideas, skills, and contributions to improve policies and programs that support their health and well-being; see “Related Resources” below this blog.)
This blog strives to help local public health organizations—specifically, local and county health departments—invest in youth engagement by focusing their mindsets on what constitutes effective engagement. It uses four dimensions from the Youth-Adult Partnership framework to outline key questions that organizations can explore when seeking to actively engage youth.