In 2015, I drafted a manifesto, “Youth Advocacy and Action (Y2A).” I did not want to start another organization or youth program, but I wanted to be clear what I was looking for in work collaborating with youth. This manifesto is indebted to a number of scholars, activists and organizations that appear in another blog post, ReGeneration Fund.
- We want all youth to thrive.
- We want to put youth at the center of our community.
- We are the leaders we have been waiting for.
- This work is urgent because our youth cannot and should not wait.
- We want to welcome youth into communities of learning.
- We learn in relationships. We learn through connecting.
- We want to create settings where less experienced learners work alongside others.
- We learn when immersed deeply in specific problems.
- Given opportunities and time to practice, we all gain mastery and motivation.
- Mastery deepens connections—to each other, to life roles, to knowledge.
- We aim to treat young people as capable and responsible.
- Yet, we do not want to put youth into situations for which they are not prepared.
- We want to do real work, which is really hard work.
- This work requires that we take care of each other.
- We want to challenge each other to tackle problems that are complex.
- Individual experiences, influences, and ways of becoming are also complex:
- Truth is not the same for everyone.
- We require a wide variety of skills and approaches for our endeavors.
- We aim to focus on concrete, collective tasks and not on egos.
- A range of feelings is part of any effort, and we must attend to and manage emotions.
- We must celebrate short-term goals and accomplishments, while thinking big.
- Our work will be assessed together; reflection and feedback will inform next steps.
- We are part of, but bigger than, our local communities.
- We want to risk justice. This requires patience and endurance.
- Youth are connected: to their passions, bodies, friends and loved ones.
- Adults must connect to youth.
The photo above is by Chang Duong on Unsplash.com , but I cropped it so it would show the youth.
