The most successful youth programs aren’t built for young people—they’re built with them. Organizations that authentically center youth in their work don’t just improve outcomes; they create the next generation of leaders who carry that impact forward.
Part of Newman’s Own Foundation’s approach is learning with and from grantee partners— regularly hosts learning sessions to allow for the sharing of best practices, opportunities, and challenges across our community.
In a recent learning session, grantee partners Julie Gable from Grow Dat Youth Farm and Brittny Seowtewa (Zuni) from Zuni Youth Enrichment Project shared tips to meaningfully engage youth in their food justice programming.
Here are 5 tips for nonprofits, Tribes, and schools looking to empower youth leaders and inspire engagement:
1. Meet youth where they are.
- Keep everything age-appropriate, youth-oriented, and fun! Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s recipe cards feature illustrated tools and ingredients, and even a cultural activity book to keep young children engaged while they wait during baking time.
- Make programming convenient for the people you serve. Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s Family Cook Night provides cooking kits to families to take home (including safe, kid-sized knives!) where they can cook along through a virtual cooking class.
- Consider virtual opportunities to increase accessibility and participation.
2. Provide opportunities for youth leadership at different levels.
- Grow Dat Youth Farm uses a multi-tiered program structure, starting with crew members (age 15+) and advanced leadership programs, culminating in fellowships where young adults become leaders. This provides age-appropriate opportunities for increasing responsibility and skill development. All youth employees are paid well above minimum wage.
- Investment in youth development can serve the organization beyond the program period. Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s current Executive Director attended Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s summer camps growing up, and now brings that lived experience to her leadership with the intention to recreate that path for more Zuni youth.
Photo courtesy of Zuni Youth Enrichment Project.
3. Engage the community.
- Train youth to speak up (and maybe even get involved in advocacy!) When City Park Conservancy (a local park in New Orleans) wanted to build a road through Grow Dat community farm, the young people rallied: attending, organizing, and hosting community meetings to eventually secure a 10-year lease for the farm. Leadership encouraged youth to find their voice, practicing how to show up, answer questions, and speak up.
- Create partnerships to literally meet youth where they are. Grow Dat Youth Farm partners with schools to provide transportation directly to the farm. Zuni Youth Enrichment Project works closely with the Zuni Tribal organization and school district to deliver engaging programs for youth where they already meet.
Grow Dat Youth Farm. Photo by Claire Bangser.
“When you see the plant’s stems getting stronger, growing up, and starting to branch out, and then the flowers start to open up, it’s the same as when youth are opening their minds to new things.” –Nicholas (Crew Member, Grow Dat Youth Farm)
4. Elevate youth voices.
- Involve youth at every stage of your program. From planning to implementation to evaluation, youth should be at the center of your process. While this engagement requires planning, it often results in greater buy-in and more successful outreach and retention of youth participants.
- Keep alumni engaged as board or advisory board members.Grow Dat has three alumni spots on their board, soliciting nominations from staff members.
5. Gather (and follow through) with feedback.
- Gather youth feedback through surveys and/or listening sessions. Grow Dat administers an annual survey, and Zuni Youth Enrichment Project shared their success with short, verbal pre- and post- program feedback with young children. (Want more tips? Check out our blog post on measuring impact!)
- Not only can data collection provide valuable information about program outcomes, it also provides open feedback loops for program improvement and new ideas! Youth in Grow Dat’s program had an idea to distribute food from a food truck—and the nonprofit actually got it funded.
- Don’t forget to share results of data collection with youth. By seeing how their responses shape organizational decisions, youth are more likely to continue providing feedback.
Newman’s Own Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation whose mission is to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. Through the efforts of Paul Newman and Newman’s Own, over $600 million has been given to social impact organizations since 1982. Today, Newman’s Own Foundation grantee partners promote nutritious food in schools, advocate for Indigenous food justice, and create joyful experiences for children living with serious illnesses.
Photo courtesy of Zuni Youth Enrichment Project.