Youth and Civic Engagement

Innovation Center consultants help communities engage youth, adults, and organizations to contribute to community development initiatives. We support and guide communities as they examine their history and resources, create a community vision and plan, and implement and sustain projects. In the process, we study the powerful—and positive—impact on both communities and young people.

Our work strengthens the youth development profession by contributing research, documentation, and strategies for achieving youth development outcomes through civic engagement. It strengthens the field of community development by identifying young people as assets with important contributions to make rather than viewing them as “risks.”