Creating Change: How Organizations Connect With Youth, Build Communities, and Strengthen Themselves

The very process of getting involved makes young people stronger and healthier. They work in partnership with adults, become leaders on issues that matter to them, and develop skills that will be useful for the rest of their lives. This booklet explores the complex links between youth development, community engagement, and social justice. The Innovation Center has been studying and strengthening these links through partnerships with local and national organizations, universities, foundations, and businesses. We are learning what works in big cities, small towns, and rural communities. The stories in this book highlight the work of our partners to engage, empower, and strengthen young people and their communities. The booklet is divided into two sections. The first, Youth Development and Community Engagement, explores ways that community organizations engage and support young people by involving them in community change. The second, Community Organizations and Social Justice, explores the conditions that organizations must create for young people to make their communities more just and equitable. (authors)