Organizational Shifts for Youth Voice

I have contributed to initiatives within major media and philanthropic institutions to authentically integrate youth voice into organizational decision-making processes. These projects focused on shifting organizational culture to create sustainable systems for meaningful youth-adult partnerships.

With one institution, we supported an eight-person youth cohort in an advisory role. We facilitated interactive spaces that developed their leadership capacity to influence institutional decisions. Our trauma-informed pedagogical framework acknowledged that young people’s lived experiences both sharpen the equity focus of the institutions they advise and affect how they can participate in these spaces.

In tandem with this youth engagement, we conducted capacity-building sessions for institutional staff using practical frameworks for positive youth development and youth-adult partnership. Through structured dialogue and collaborative learning, staff gained concrete tools to elevate youth perspectives while creating safe, supportive environments for authentic engagement.

To ensure lasting impact, we conducted utilization-focused evaluations and captured key lessons in an organizational “playbook.” These resources provided institutions with concrete strategies for shifting traditional power dynamics and opportunities for continuous improvement.

Through this work, we are trying to shift partner institutions beyond tokenistic youth involvement toward genuine youth-adult partnership, creating systemic change in how they engage with and learn from young people.

Relevant publications: