Authentic Youth Engagement is…

• Collective Activities are led by youth and adults together – not individually
• Connected Activities embody interdependence and model it among youth and adults
• Empowering Youth voice is a driving force throughout activities
• Equitable Adults recognize young people have differing backgrounds that require different approaches
• Focused Activities are appropriately outcome-driven
• Healthy Respectful disagreement, speaking up, and other avenues that equalize disparities between youth and adults are at the core of the activity
• Learning Young people gain skills, knowledge and tools to be effect agents of change
• Mutually Beneficial Young people and adults acknowledge each other’s dreams, actions, outcomes and reflections
• Relevant Activities are responsive to the lives of young people
• Responsible Adults and youth develop and sustain their capacity to be “response-able”
• Substantive Activity design and outcomes are designed to impact individuals, organizations, communities and society
• Self-Motivated Young people feel driven to participate

I might be wrapping up a white paper on authentic youth engagement in sustainability education within the next week - let me know if you'd like to see a draft by emailing adam at freechild dot org.