Making choices

• Be clear with youth participants about the expectations, responsibilities, scope of decision-making authority and other practical details of the role that you are inviting them to take on.
  Discussing expectations will ensure that the young person is prepared and well informed to make the right decision. The right fit is important and will ensure success for both the young person and the board. Organizations need to consider their own needs and choose for success.
  
  
• Make diverse selections.
  Like all board appointments, the selection of young people will be most beneficial if it is representative — from an ethnocultural, class and geographic perspective of the community the organization serves. For example, business improvement associations dealing with graffiti may find it useful to engage a young person with a graffiti background. Do not target just high-achieving youth; seek out young people from diverse ethnocultural and class backgrounds who may have a broader understanding of the issues facing youth in their community. Particularly, encourage young males to become involved.
  
  
• Ensure that young decision-makers are not isolated.
  Invite more than one young person to join the board or advisory committee to provide mutual support.
  
  
• If youth are being elected or appointed as representatives, ensure that reporting and accountability mechanisms are clear.
  To get full value for youth participation, organizations must have clear channels of communication and reporting to all involved members.
  
  
• Recognize and address legal and systemic barriers.
  Youth under the age of 18 may not be legally eligible to vote as members of the board but still may have important contributions to make to decision-making.

Getting acquainted

• Create an environment that is welcoming in both physical and social terms.
  Ensure that the physical space in which you meet is not intimidating and that all staff and board members are prepared to be friendly and accommodating to new decision-makers.
  
  
• Provide orientation to the organization.
  Ensure newcomers understand what the organization does and the role of the board or advisory committee. Explain the history and mandate of the organization clearly.
  
  
• Schedule meetings at a time that matches the busy school and work lives of youth.
  Daytime meetings can create time conflicts that make it difficult for youth to participate effectively.
  
  
• Make sure the location is not a barrier to participation.
  Subsidize transportation expenses by providing TTC tickets.
  
  
• Provide refreshments and snacks.
  Young people have larger appetites than adults because they are growing and lead active lives. Providing cold beverages, snacks or light meals if the meeting time coincides with meal times, goes a long way to ensure their active participation.

Making it work

• Provide enough staff support so that youth decision-makers can succeed.
  Organizations can be complex and confusing. Dedicate staff resources to help young board members get up to speed.
  
  
• Match youth decision-makers with mentors from the board.
  Provide the time and opportunity for a relationship of trust to develop before youth enter the organization. The mentor should be available to provide information and answer questions the young person has about process, vocabulary and other issues as they arise.
  
  
• Provide ongoing training to help young people develop the skills they need to be effective board members.
  Recognize that there is likely to be turnover in youth membership and that it may be necessary to replace youth decision-makers more frequently than their adult counterparts. Young people are at a point in their lives that brings change. They move from one educational institution to another or they enter the world of employment. They move out of the family home into their own residence. Their understanding of themselves and their relationship to the world they live in are in constant transition. Change is a significant factor that distinguishes youth from adults.
  
  
• Provide training for adult board members to build understanding of youth development and community development.
  Bringing youth involvement to an organization can require many adjustments. Some extra support can help existing board members deal with all the dynamics at work.
  
  
• Conduct meetings sensitively.
  Help overcome any possible power imbalances or feelings of intimidation by providing open and respectful leadership at meetings. Young people must feel that their active participation is welcomed and respected and that they are not merely token representatives.
  
  
• Manage meeting agendas effectively so that they are not too long or unnecessarily complex.
  Young people can sometimes become frustrated and impatient about how long it takes to produce decisions and take action. Streamline decision-making processes wherever possible.
  
  
• Recognize that the relative inexperience of youth can be both a strength and a weakness.
  Youth can bring a fresh, new perspective to the table, but need time to develop an understanding of an organization's history and challenges. Create a respectful decision-making environment that balances those strengths and weaknesses.
  
  
• Evaluate your success in terms of the impact on the organization, the youth and the community.
  Get feedback from all the stakeholders about what youth engagement has meant for the organization and the individuals involved. Ensure that the contributions of young people are generously acknowledged both publicly and privately.