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Power-Sharing in Practice: Co-Creating Programs with Young People

$0.00

Youth are often invited into leadership spaces, yet too frequently they encounter tokenism—where their voices are “heard” without wielding real influence. Power-Sharing in Practice: Co-Creating Programs with Young People takes a deeper dive into operationalizing equitable decision-making, narrative sharing, and co-leadership strategies that genuinely respect and uplift youth perspectives. From structuring collaborative governance models to ensuring young people have autonomy in program design, this workshop helps organizations step away from symbolic gestures and into authentic partnerships with the youth they serve.

Youth are often invited into leadership spaces, yet too frequently they encounter tokenism—where their voices are “heard” without wielding real influence. Power-Sharing in Practice: Co-Creating Programs with Young People takes a deeper dive into operationalizing equitable decision-making, narrative sharing, and co-leadership strategies that genuinely respect and uplift youth perspectives. From structuring collaborative governance models to ensuring young people have autonomy in program design, this workshop helps organizations step away from symbolic gestures and into authentic partnerships with the youth they serve.

Key Focus Areas

  1. Equitable Decision-Making Models

    • Learn how to dismantle hierarchical structures and develop shared power frameworks where youth actively shape policies, events, and programs.

  2. Narrative Sharing & Collective Storytelling

    • Understand how to honor and amplify youth voices, experiences, and expertise, ensuring their stories drive meaningful change.

  3. Co-Leadership & Ongoing Engagement

    • Explore methods for building sustained youth leadership pipelines, mentorship programs, and feedback loops that cultivate reciprocal growth.

Who Should Attend

  • Educators & Youth Program Directors
    Seeking to shift from adult-driven agendas to collaborative planning and co-design with young stakeholders.

  • Community Organizers & Activists
    Working alongside youth-led initiatives and wanting to avoid tokenism while fostering genuine leadership development.

  • Nonprofit & Organizational Leaders
    Interested in structuring boards, committees, or advisory councils where young people hold real power and influence.

  • Policy Makers & Local Officials
    Committed to involving youth in shaping the civic or legislative decisions that directly affect their lives.

Learning Objectives

  1. Recognize & Address Tokenism

    • Identify pitfalls where youth engagement becomes mere symbolism, and learn proactive measures to ensure equitable collaboration.

  2. Implement Co-Decision Processes

    • Acquire practical tools—like participatory budgeting, rotating leadership roles, and transparent governance—that place youth at the helm.

  3. Foster Sustainable Youth Partnerships

    • Discover approaches to maintain ongoing trust, mentorship, and collective ownership that transcend one-off events or pilot programs.

Why It Matters

Young people bring creativity, urgency, and unique lived experiences to social change efforts. But when their participation is confined to surface-level activities or “advisory” roles with minimal impact, important insights are lost, and the cycle of adult-centric decision-making continues. By redefining program co-creation, youth can become genuine partners—co-creating policies, reimagining services, and driving solutions that resonate deeply within their communities. This leads not only to more innovative, responsive programs, but also empowers a rising generation of leaders who feel invested in shaping their own futures.

Is This Workshop For You?

  • Noticing that youth representatives on your boards or committees rarely speak up or have tangible decision-making power?
    We’ll delve into how to shift structures so young people are encouraged and empowered to lead.

  • Looking to redesign program workflows so that adults share authority with youth, rather than handing out token responsibilities?
    Explore operational frameworks that build authentic power-sharing into every step.

  • Concerned that adult biases may unintentionally overshadow youth contributions?
    Learn facilitation and mentorship techniques that respect autonomy, normalize intergenerational collaboration, and address power imbalances head-on.

  • Ready to foster a culture where youth consistently refine, innovate, and shape ongoing organizational efforts?
    We’ll discuss creating feedback loops, iterative planning, and growth pathways that reflect youth priorities in real time.

If these dilemmas sound familiar, Power-Sharing in Practice: Co-Creating Programs with Young People will equip you to craft structures and relationships where youth leadership flourishes, not just in name, but in action.