Beyond Inclusion: Creating Radical, Youth-Centric Engagement Programmes

Creating youth programmes with genuine, impactful engagement might seem like searching for a unicorn – rare and elusive – but it’s more about nurturing a hidden gem. Moving beyond token participation is simpler than it appears. With these five practical strategies, you’ll soon realise that the potential for meaningful involvement has been there all along; it just needs to be crafted and polished in the right way.

Incentivise to Energise

One key issue with token participation is that young people often don’t receive proper recognition or reward for their contributions. Research from The Department for Education shows that offering incentives, like vouchers, can significantly boost youth engagement and reduce dropout rates, especially for hard-to-reach groups. Everyone deserves to be compensated for their efforts, and young people are no exception. When you benefit from a young person’s involvement without reciprocating, it signals a lack of respect for their contributions. And if they feel undervalued, why should they continue to engage? Treat young people with the same fairness and respect as you would any colleague and reap the benefits of equal collaboration. 

Shatter Age Stereotypes

The biggest barrier to meaningful youth engagement is the misconception we have about age. Too often, older generations treat young people differently, patronising them and dismissing their views as lacking experience or being “too young” to understand. This perspective is harmful and, according to a survey conducted by the Intergenerational Foundation, many young people feel that they are unfairly represented and their voices are not taken seriously by older generations. The survey found that 80% of young people believed their age group was misrepresented in the media, which had a negative impact on their opportunities​. Phrases like “I’m your elder; I know best” only breed negativity and hinder collaboration. To create impactful youth programmes, we must see young people as equals, embracing their unique creativity and innovation. 

Champion Accessibility

In today’s digital age, there is no excuse for inaccessible programmes. We have a wealth of tools at our disposal, from Miro to Zoom, to create sessions and projects that include every young person, regardless of their needs. UNICEF UK highlights that digital access is now a fundamental component of social justice, with the pandemic highlighting its importance in fulfilling children’s rights to education, information, and play. A lack of digital access can severely limit a young person’s opportunities for equitable life chances​ and it’s our responsibility to use these tools to foster safe, inclusive spaces where young voices can truly be heard. By making digital accessibility standard, we ensure all youth can fully participate.

Flip the Power Script

Youth engagement shouldn’t be like a traditional classroom, where the adult lecture while young people listen passively. This approach quickly leads to tokenism, where young people are physically present but not truly involved. Youth Leads UK found that youth engagement increases when young people are given leadership positions, with 63% of Greater Manchester youth interested in civic roles. However, they often feel excluded from decision-making processes. Its is out role to shift the power dynamic and allow young people to take the lead and participate meaningfully in the process. Let them run sessions, present to decision-makers, and have a genuine stake in the process. When we step back and allow young people to take centre stage, we can truly see how far they can soar when given the freedom to spread their wings.

Listen, Act, Impact

Finally, consider what happens after the project ends. Where do the voices and insights of young people go? What do their efforts amount to? If their efforts are used to tick a box and then forgotten, we miss out on meaningful change. Ensure their contributions are valued, whether by acting on their feedback, using their insights in decision-making, or showcasing their work. As Lundy teaches, it is the right of young people to have their views taken seriously and acted upon and it is our responsibility, as adults in power, to do just that. Meaningful youth engagement programmes enable young people to drive real change that radicalises our industries. Anything else is just box-ticking tokenism.

Crafting meaningful youth participation programmes may require careful effort, but it’s like polishing a gem — the results are worth it and wow! Don’t they sparkle! When we truly involve young people in shaping our shared future, we don’t just benefit from their creativity and fresh perspectives; we also create a brighter, better-informed future.

If you’re ready to transform your programmes from dull tokenism to a gleaming example of genuine engagement, get in touch with us today. Together, we can uncover the hidden gems within youth voices and move far beyond mere inclusion.