"Youth"  - What's in a name?

The definition of “youth” is open to interpretation, and can vary greatly from organization to organization.  Federally, youth refers to those between the ages of 15 to 29 (Victoria Shen, 2006).  On the other hand, the City of Toronto defines youth to be anyone between the ages of 13 to 24 (Shen, 2006).   For the our purposes, we will consider both definitions, and refer to youth as anyone between the ages of 13 to 29.  

Often considered the Information Age Generation (Robert Barnard, Campbell, Smith & Embuldeniya, 2003) or the Nexus Generation (D-Code Inc. & Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, 2001), this age group is unique from other population groups in several respects. 

24/7 Communications

First and foremost, then current youth generation is one that has grown up in an era of 24/7 communications.  As such, they are “highly conversant with advanced communications technology and fast-paced decision-making” (D-Code Inc. & Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, 2001).  Technologies, such as the Internet, have allowed the youth generation to “crunch, store, send and create information of all kinds” (Barnard, 2003).  In light of this multi-media universe, the current youth generation has access to information on a global scale.  Amidst the array of global transactions, youth have become “keenly aware of the scope and scale of global social injustice (D-Code Inc. & Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, 2001). 

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Changing Family Dynamics and Structures

In addition, changing family structures have significantly impacted the youth generation.  As the number of single-income nuclear family homes diminish, two-income family homes continue to dominate.  Unlike the past, when women looking after households and children had more flexibility to volunteer, “civic engagement [has] become something that must either occur outside of the working day, or become incorporated into one’s work” (D-Code Inc. & Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, 2001).  In addition, changing family dynamics and priorities have led to a do-it-yourself attitude among youth (Barnard, 2003). 

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A Marketers' Dream
 
Finally, the current youth generation has “grown up being the target of marketers throughout their lives” (D-Code Inc. & Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, 2001).  As such, many seem to be more receptive of marketing approaches to social and civic initiatives than traditional engagement initiatives such as church youth groups.  As well, having grown up in an environment where market-based approaches are common, the youth generation seems to be particularly receptive to the growing popularity of new social models that combine both social and economic goals. 

So, what does this mean? Organizations today must be particularly mindful of these factors if they want to engage youth in initiatives.  

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What Does Youth Engagement Look Like?

Youth engagement can be defined as the “meaningful participation and sustained involvement of a young person in an activity with a focus outside of him or herself,” (Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement, 2004) instilling a sense of active citizenship and social responsibility (Shen, 2006).  The concept of “engagement” is often used interchangeably with a number of different ideas including, “involvement,” “participation,” “volunteering” and “community service” (Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement, 2004).

In “INVOLVEYOUTH2: A guide to meaningful youth engagement,” Shen (2006), outlines several major characteristics of youth engagement programs. 

• Youth engagement programs provide opportunities for intellectual, emotional, physical, civic, social and cultural development. 

• Engagement activities provide ample opportunities for youth leadership. 

• Youth engagement encourages youth to reflect on their personal identity, as well as to develop a greater sense of social awareness and active citizenship.

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Exploration

Indeed, youth engagement initiatives can offer significant benefits for youth, organizations and the greater community alike.  As previously mentioned, youth engagement programs allow young people to develop personal and professional capabilities through leadership roles and active citizenship.  In addition, youth have the opportunity for considerable social interaction with youth with similar interests and backgrounds (Susan Wright, n.d.). 

On the other hand, organizations also stand to gain significantly through youth engagement initiatives.  By involving youth in the decision-making process, organizations will be more adept at addressing youth-related matters (Wright, n.d.).  In light of this, organizations will be able to improve its youth services to better suit the needs and wants of this population group (City of Toronto, 2004). As well, youth engagement programs often shifts the public image of organizations to be more youth-friendly. This inspires confidence in the reputation of the organization among young users and other stakeholders, and can aid in attracting youth as volunteers within the organization (City of Toronto, 2004). 

Finally, youth engagement programs also provide significant benefits for the greater community.  By providing youth with a stake in decision-making, communities build capacity and local democracy, while becoming more inclusive of members from various populations groups (City of Toronto, 2004).  In doing so, adults become more perceptive to the youth population, and negative stereotypes of youth become minimized (Wright, n.d.).

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Why are Youth Engaged?

According to the 2004 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (2006), youth tend to be motivated to volunteer for much different reasons than the rest of the Canadian populations.  Within the 15 to 19 year old age group:

• 65% hoped to improve their job opportunities
• 65% wanted to explore their own strengths
• 54% were influenced because their friends volunteer 

The results were similar for the 20 to 24 year olds:

• 44%, hoping to improve job opportunities
• 62% intending to explore personal strengths
• 47% being motivated because their friends volunteer

The way in which youth are engaged also varies greatly from organization to organization. In “Children’s Participation from Tokenism to Citizenship,” R.A. Hart summarizes the range of engagement into eight categories (Wright, n.d.):

• Young Person Initiated: Youth initiate programs, but decision-making and program management is shared with adults

• Young Person Initiated and Directed: Youth initiate and manage programs independently of adult involvement

• Adult-Initiated: Adults initiate programs and involve youth in decision-making and program management

• Young People Consulted and Informed: Adults initiate and manage programs, and youth are consulted for their opinions, and informed of program objectives

• Assigned but Informed: Adults initiate and manage programs, and youth are informed of program objectives

• Tokenism: Adults initiate and manage programs, but youth seem to have no choice and no opportunity to voice opinions

• Decoration:  Adults initiate and manage programs with youth who have little or no involvement or understanding of the programs

• Manipulation: Adults initiate and manage programs with youth who have no understanding of issues.  Adults consult youth for their opinions, but provide no feedback and in effect, pretend that youth are actively engaged

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Why are some Youth Disengaged?

The Framework Foundation (2006) cites three major reasons why individuals between the ages of 22 to 35 are not volunteering:

• nobody asks
• they feel as though they don’t have enough time
• they don’t know where to find meaningful volunteer opportunities
 
Such thoughts seem to be echoed in a report authored by D-Code Inc. & Canadian Centre for Social Entrepreneurship (2001) where it is argued that young people are not so much apathetic as they are “challenged – or distracted – by a number of pressures that demand the majority of their time throughout the day or week.”  Indeed, the youth years are ones full of transitions from high school, to university, to career, marriage, children and family.  As well, the youth generation seems to be suffering from information age paralysis due to information overload. 

The same report also cites the bureaucracy and inefficiency of the non-profit sector to be a point of disengagement among youth.  Many are frustrated by the lack of leadership and results in the voluntary sector.  Others complained that “systematic restraint to progress” due to insufficient funding, ineffective board governance and lack of innovation did not provide the opportunity for the desired level of skills development.

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Examples of Projects, Programmes and Organizations that Engage Youth in Canada

Canada is full of organizations dedicated to encouraging youth involvement in community building, volunteerism and active citizenry. Here’s a sampling of six Canadians projects, programmes and organizations that are actively engaging youth in these areas today. 

• Canada25
• Canada World Youth
• Free The Children
• Journalists for Human Rights
• Sierra Youth Coalition
• Sport-in-a-Box
• YOUCAN - Coming Soon!