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InvolveYouth 2:
A guide to meaningful youth engagement |
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9. When things don't go as planned
When youth make the "wrong" decision
What to do
When youth go off the path
When youth make the "wrong" decision
Ironically, one of the pitfalls of youth-led decision making can be when youth make the "wrong" decision.
Youth workers have felt decisions to be "wrong" when:
- The participants decide to take on a project that is beyond the resources or capacity of the group.
- The youth engage in an activity or process that is unethical, not inclusive, or compromises the integrity of the organization.
- The youth are heading in a different direction from the one intended by the program.
What to do
When subtle persuasion and advice does not produce the desired results, youth workers are left in an unenviable position. They can stand by in the face of what seems like impending disaster, or usurp the decision-making powers of the youth. There are no hard and fast rules for when to intervene, how to intervene and the appropriate level of intervention. The stakes are different in every situation.
Here are some suggestions to guide your decision:
- Support the decision-making process even if you can't support the decision. Youth participants need training and information in order to become skilled decision-makers. Violetta Illkiw of the Laidlaw Foundation observed: "Giving youth decision-making powers includes providing the information necessary to make those decisions. They don't always come already informed about the impact of their decisions. All the mechanisms need to be in place in order for youth to make those decisions. Providing them with what they need includes helping them understand what they need."
- Demonstrate your credibility, not authority. Youth workers should share their experience and expertise - that is their role in youth engagement programming. There is a difference in demonstrating one's credibility and speaking from a place of authority. In the end, the decision falls on the youth, but the youth worker can and should contribute to the discussion.
- Let it be. Sometimes people have to make their own mistakes. This means stepping back and letting things fall where they fall. As the staff person, it may be wise to cover yourself, inform the necessary people so they can prepare for the consequences. But recognize too that there are some things, you just can't allow. It's okay to say no. Youth engagement is a learning process for everyone.
When youth go off the path
Youth participants will sometimes "stray from the path" and head into directions that were not intended by the program. This can happen when the objectives or goals of the program fail to meet the developmental needs of the youth participants:
- It may be a result of poor program design, a consequence of funding-driven rather than youth-driven programming, or a top-down rather than bottom-up approach.
- The youth may not fully understand the issue or understand their role in contributing to a solution.
- The youth are not interested in this issue, but the issue is a legitimate one in the community.
Do not be alarmed. Research suggests that this happens often and funders are well aware of the problem.
Contact your funder. The mark of a good funder is flexibility. They understand that things change, people make mistakes, stuff happens. As long as your desired outcomes remain consistent, as long as it is still a youth engagement program, and youth are benefiting from the experience, the funder is likely to support your changes.
Engage youth in development stages of the program. These problems are less likely to arise if youth have input at the development stages of a program.
Reconsider your outreach strategy. The problem may not be with program design but in your outreach. Have you failed to engage the targeted youth?
>>>> Chapter 10
InvolveYouth 2: A guide to meaningful youth engagement is broken into section chapters on the web. See the Chapters list for links to all chapters.
You can also download the PDF of this document. You will need to have the latest version of the  FREE Acrobat Reader on your computer to view.
To order a printed copy of the guide send an e-mail to safety2@toronto.ca or call 416-397-0442.
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