Champions of youth-adult partnership across the country inspire me and can serve as models for other organizations hoping to engage youth in shared power and decision-making. This post highlights one organization that has managed to build truly authentic youth-adult partnership in organizational governance and decision-making.
National Network for Youth (NN4Y) is a national advocacy organization with the goal of preventing and ending youth homelessness. NN4Y achieves a unique authentic level of youth-adult partnership in two ways. First, the very diverse youth engaged in NN4Y’s leadership have all experienced homelessness. Second, youth “drive decisions at all levels of the organization and have consistently for the past five years”, according to Executive Director Darla Bardine.
Even stand out youth-led organizations and governments tend to struggle engaging traditionally disenfranchised youth. However, NN4Y not only engages but also builds the leadership capacity of youth who are among some of the most disenfranchised - having experienced homelessness and often youth of color.
Second, adults at all levels of the organization remain rigorously dedicated to authentic youth voice in their decision-making. From the policies advanced by the organization to education and skill-building for member organizations, youth have shared power in everything NN4Y does.
Key to success #1: Dedicated Staff Support
NN4Y employs a full-time staff person responsible solely for supporting youth leaders and their partnership with the organization. The Director of Youth Partnerships manages youth engagement in NN4Y’s decision-making and provides individual support to youth leaders, meeting them where they are and helping them develop the tools to succeed as advocates and in life.
Key to success #2: Guiding Principles
Among NN4Y’s eight guiding principles is Youth/Adult Partnerships. The guiding principles apply to NN4Y itself and serve as aspirational principles for all of its over 300 member organizations.
Key to success #3: Dedication at All Levels of the Organization
Every member of NN4Y’s staff and Board of Directors is fundamentally dedicated to the youth leadership of the organization. In addition, NN4Y prioritizes its youth-adult partnership to its funders and makes the case for the importance of sufficient support.
Interested in building authentic youth-adult partnership to achieve stronger decisions for your organization? Reach out to me through the Contact Me page.