How to amplify youth voice, from 2 youth leaders

The past year has seen a wave of youth and student activists who have made their voices heard on a variety of topics and taken the national stage by storm. It’s clear that many children and youth have important things to say about issues they are passionate about, and youth development programs are uniquely suited to create a platform to amplify those voices.

Yesterday, we hosted a webinar “Youth Voice in Afterschool," featuring two amazing youth leaders who spoke to their experiences in afterschool and how it’s impacted their lives and goals. Kyra-Lee Harry, the 2018 winner of the national 4-H Youth in Action Citizen Pillar award, and Harli Jo McKinney, a member of the inaugural Afterschool Youth Ambassador class, shared how their programs empowered them to become advocates in their communities and for afterschool.

Kyra-Lee credits her 4-H program with equipping her with the confidence and determination to become the youngest representative on a New York City Community Board ever, as well as fostering her love of math and science (she’s now pursuing an engineering degree at New York University). Harli Jo, as she put it, went from “a small town girl” to advocating before Congress in Washington, D.C. on behalf of afterschool students across the country this past spring—something she said wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her afterschool program.

If elevating youth voice is something your program does, or something you’ve been wanting to dive deeper into, then there’s no time like Lights On Afterschool to embrace and celebrate the important opinions, contributions, and civic engagement of our students! As an official theme of Lights On Afterschool 2018, we can’t wait to see how programs bring youth voice to forefront as they shed a spotlight on the need for expanded access to afterschool and summer learning opportunities.

Allowing students to participate in and guide the event’s planning process is a great way to get started—students can determine the event format, guest list, and assign responsibilities so that they have more ownership in the event. Inviting policymakers, candidates, or other community stakeholders to see and hear firsthand from the students how their programs impact them will make for an incredibly effective event. Even without the presence of “dignitaries,” a march, rally, or letter-writing party can be an impactful way to elevate youth voice this Lights On, especially if you secure some local media coverage.

Encouraging students to help design and execute your digital promotion efforts are also a natural fit for including their voice in your event. Many of your students are likely digital natives, and can be great assets in spreading the Lights On message, if they’re passionate about shedding a spotlight on the need for more afterschool funding. Involving your students in your digital advocacy efforts are also a way to sustain attention on the topic of afterschool and summer learning access long after your event ends!

Join the youth voice movement today and register your event for Lights On Afterschool 2018!