DOCUMENT #1

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT UPDATE

Top Priority Goals and Responsive Support

#1 – YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROMOTION AND PLANNING: – To build a deeper, common

understanding among your collaborative, especially its leaders, about youth engagement and its
importance in the Food and Fitness Initiative, and what it will take for youth engagement to succeed.
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Responsive Activities and Tools:

 YOUTH ROLES AT JUNE CONFERENCE – Highly visible youth roles, including youth participation in
conference planning, youth-led ice-breakers, break-out sessions on youth-adult partnerships; youth
research teams and presentation to end conference.

 YOUTH MINI-GRANTS – Designed to encourage and reward meaningful and visible youth
engagement during your planning phase; especially activities that engage and inform expanded
numbers of youth and adults; soft deadline is July 15, 2008.

 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT 101 SURVEY (DRAFT) – A questionnaire designed to stimulate informed

discussion about, and to develop a common understanding of key elements of youth engagement;
Modeled after a RWJF funded survey created for a similar purpose; to be previewed during deeper
dive Wednesday at 3:30 PM.

 DISCUSSION GUIDE (DRAFT) – To guide local and cross-site follow-up discussions on key elements
of the Youth Engagement 101 survey; to set the context for additional planning and consideration
youth engagement to be included in each sites community action plan.

 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PLANNING FORM (DRAFT) – A planning worksheet and record form
designed to encourage informed consideration of key elements of specific youth engagement
established, in your plan, or under consideration for inclusion; form will also serve as a template for
sharing of information across sites and with the YEA; to be previewed during deeper dive Wednesday
at 3:30 PM.

 LOCAL PLANNING WORKSHOPS (PROPOSED) - The YEA is proposing to help plan, support and
co-facilitate (upon invitation) local youth engagement planning workshops at each site this fall. These
one or two day sessions might also include sessions or support for specific areas of need or interest at
each site.

#2 – ESTABLISH CROSS-SITE PEER LEARNING AND SUPPORT: To establish and support cross-site
sharing of information, resources and strategies for youth engagement.

Responsive Activities and Tools:

 INDEX AND PLANNING MATRIX (DRAFT) – This “master document” includes an index with several
types and realms of youth engagement, so that each site can indicate what types of youth
engagement are established, planned or under consideration at their site. To be available on-line, the
matrix will be linked to individual Youth Engagement Planning Forms posted by each site that provide
key information about each example.
 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PLANNING FORM (DRAFT) – This planning worksheet doubles as a record
form for each site to report information about key elements of specific youth engagement examples
established, in their plan, or under consideration for inclusion. To encourage posting and youth
engagement, we are considering a $25 stipend for each example from their site posted by a youth.
 PEER LEARNING CONFERENCE CALLS (PROPOSED) – Modeled after similar, subject specific
calls with co-conveners, staff and TAP, these calls will focus on topics of top priority to you and your
colleagues. Please let us know if you like this idea, what topics make sense for you, or if you would
like to facilitate our first call later this summer! The YEA will organize and pay for these calls.
 LOCAL PLANNING WORKSHOPS (PROPOSED) - The YEA is proposing to help plan, support and
co-facilitate (upon invitation) local youth engagement planning workshops at each site this fall. These
one or two day sessions might also include sessions or support for specific areas of need or interest at
each site.
#3 – RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES: To learn about strategies to recruit, engage,
retain and support youth participating in different elements of the Food and Fitness Initiative; to receive
related sample materials such as a youth internship invitation.

Responsive Activities and Tools:

 YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIP SESSION – This deeper dive session on Wednesday June 25 at 2:00
PM to be presented by YEA youth-adult facilitators representing the Food Project will cover
recruitment and retention as well as other youth-adult partnership strategies.

 RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION BRIEF (DRAFT) – This two paged brief prepared by the Youth
Engagement Associates includes helpful tips and strategies excerpted from several organization’s
youth engagement manuals, including the CCCP’s own Youth VOICES in Community Design Guide
(available on-line).

 YOUTH MINI-GRANTS (ISSUED)– The opportunity to propose and manage how these funds ($2,500)
will be spent will help each site recruit and retain a core group of youth who have or will participate in
the planning phase for the Food and Fitness Initiative

 SAMPLE RECRUITMENT MATERIALS (PROVIDED) – Sample (template) Food and Fitness

Internship invitations and application forms have been prepared and provided by the YEA. Based on
common priorities and requests from our sites, additional “turn-key” materials will be developed such
as forms for adults to nominate youth, FAF youth fact sheets, sample youth agreements, workshop
invitations, etc.

 PEER LEARNING CONFERENCE CALLS (PROPOSED) – If it is still a priority, recruitment and

retention strategies might be one subjects covered on the first youth engagement peer-learning
conference calls periodically scheduled in response to youth engagement point person needs and
concerns.

NEED #4 – INFUSING YOUTH INTO LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING: To prepare youth and
adults for opportunities to work together in Food and Fitness related leadership and decision-making
processes.

Responsive Activities and Tools:

 YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIP SESSION – This deeper dive session on Wednesday June 25 at 2:00
PM to be presented by YEA youth-adult facilitators representing the Food Project will cover youth-adult
partnership strategies, including strategies for youth-adult power sharing.

 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT 101 SURVEY AND DISCUSSION GUIDES (DRAFT) – Using these
documents together will focus discussion, in part, on opportunities for youth engagement in leadership
and governance opportunities, and what it takes to support those opportunities.
 PEER LEARNING CONFERENCE CALLS (PROPOSED) – We propose that strategies for initiating
and supporting youth participation on Food and Fitness leadership and decision-making bodies be the
subject of an early Peer Learning Conference. Sites with experience in this area could share
strategies, and expert guest speakers (youth and adults) might be invited to participate.
 LOCAL PLANNING WORKSHOPS (PROPOSED) – These local planning workshops proposed
present the perfect opportunity to include focused discussion, learning and planning for infusing youth
into FAF leadership and decision-making processes. Youth and adult representatives of sites
experiencing success in this area could be presenters at these workshops.
NEED #5 – YOUTH POLICYMAKING: To train and prepare youth and their adult allies for effective
engagement in the policy process.

Responsive Activities and Tools:

 WEDNESDAY YOUTH-ONLY SESSION – On Wednesday from 11:00-12:30, the majority of

participating youth will participate in a lively and interactive YEA-led session focusing on laying the
foundation for a more sophisticated understanding by youth of social and political change strategies,
types of policy-making, and advocacy. Adults supporting youth are invited to attend.
 MARCH 2009 YOUTH NETWORKING CONFERENCE ON POLICY-MAKING – This conference will
focus on youth engagement in local, state and national policy-making related to Food and Fitness.
Youth and adult representatives of each site are encouraged to participate on the planning committee
 PEER LEARNING CONFERENCE CALLS (PROPOSED) – We propose that early efforts and plans to
engage youth in local policy or systems change be the subject of a peer learning conference call
occurring in the fall or early winter (sooner if you like).