For three days we traded tactics and techniques. We'd like to share it with you, and we hope you will find these reflections helpful as you design and evaluate your own youth development programs. The problems impacting urban and rural youth have significant overlap. Engaging youth in the process of identifying issues and having them be a part of the solution is critical. Our programs will have greater impacts if we learn to work as teams.
Teamwork is essential.
It must include other organizations, the greater community, funders, and most importantly - the youth we serve. Youth need to be a part of the total collaboration. With power comes responsibility. With responsibility comes power. Bring youth into the process of budgeting, planning, organizing.