Young people are driving many social movements today, but they are often not working in isolation, without support and encouragement. Adults play various roles, from bringing young people together, to coordinating youth projects, to mentoring them, to connecting them with resources such as funding and the media, and more.

This workshop is a conversation and dialogue for adults who are – or want to become – strong allies of young social change agents. We will have both youth and adult facilitators sharing their personal experiences and insight in working cross-generationally, and invite audience participation in the conversation.

Our goal in the workshop is to increase awareness, share best practices, and pose questions about our role as adults engaged with youth movements. We will be discussing ways to:
• Create relationships that support youth-led efforts in meaningful ways and increase youth participation in adult-led efforts, as well as the creation of intergenerational efforts
• Be aware of the positional power that comes with our age, organizational authority, and other privileges and how we deal with that power; understand the challenges and oppressions youth face in society
• Build youth leadership and create workable systems for recruitment of youth
• Support young people in their work to secure greater political representation, decision-making, respect, access to resources, and other rights
• Avoid unknowingly perpetuating uneven levels of youth participation in public affairs & our movements
• Reach out to and work with traditionally underrepresented youth
• Assist young people in developing political consciousness and analysis of systems of power and privilege, and be open to the assistance & challenges youth bring in shaping our analyses and organizing strategies
• Allow our work with young people to rejuvenate and inspire ourselves and our organizations

Please come prepared to share best practices, challenges, and your feedback as either a youth or adult.

"There is virtually no limit to what young people can do, no social need they cannot at least do something about. With a broad enough perspective, it’s hard to think of a positive social role teenagers have not at some time filled… making scientific discoveries, composing symphonies, and exposing injustices. What youth can do is limited more by social and political convention than by capacity, energy, or willingness."

– Dan Conrad and Diane Hedin