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| Source: www.urge.org |
By Sam Piha
Research and experience tell us that involving young people in civic engagement and activism activities brings benefits to youth participants. Benefits are also accrued by the organizational partners and the larger community, as well as adult program staff.
“In economically distressed communities who are the targets of structural racism, we have seen how youth benefit from the opportunity to reflect critically on the world — to ask questions and denaturalize what feels like “normal” by visiting neighboring communities and imagine radical futures and the opportunity to generate solutions through policies or public narratives. These experiences contribute to a sense of agency and belonging that prepares young people to navigate the world with confidence and critical analysis; in some cases it can also offer a context for “healing” that involves personal and social transformation.” [i]
“Benefits of Civic Engagement and Activism for Youth Participants
- Helps them make new friends and contacts and increases their social and relationship skills
- Helps them build social capital
- Increases self-confidence and promotes a positive sense of agency and empowerment
- Combats depression and helps them stay physically healthy
- Supports healing from trauma
- Opportunities to serve others and give back to the community
- Prepares them for leadership roles
- Opens their minds to new ideas and people
- Fuels passion and purpose
- Teaches collaboration
- Brings fun and fulfillment to their lives
- The happiness effect: Helping others kindles happiness, as many studies have demonstrated
- Learn valuable job skills and can offer career experience
- Increases connection to the community
- More likely to remain civically engaged as adults.” [ii]
According to Chat GPT, “Youth engagement in elections and voting is beneficial for the community in several ways:
- Representation: When young people participate in elections, their voices and perspectives are represented in the political process.
- Policy Influence: Increased youth engagement can lead to the prioritization of issues that are important to young people, such as education, employment opportunities, climate change, and social justice. Elected officials are more likely to address these issues and implement policies that benefit young people when they see them actively participating in the electoral process.
- Civic Education and Participation: Engaging in the electoral process encourages young people to become more informed about political issues and candidates. It also fosters a sense of civic responsibility and encourages them to take an active role in shaping the future of their communities and society as a whole.
- Long-Term Impact: Encouraging youth engagement in elections establishes a habit of voting that can last a lifetime. Research has shown that individuals who vote in their first few elections are more likely to continue voting in subsequent elections throughout their lives.
- Social Cohesion: When different age groups within a community actively participate in elections and voting, it can promote social cohesion and a sense of unity.
- Accountability of Leaders: When young people participate in elections, they hold elected officials accountable for their actions and decisions.
Overall, youth engagement in elections and voting is essential for a healthy democracy and contributes to the overall well-being of the community by ensuring diverse representation, influencing policy decisions, fostering civic education and participation, and promoting accountability and social cohesion.” [iii]
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| Source: Center for Tech and Civic Life |
Below are some resources that may be useful. NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list, as there are many program resources on the topic, some of which are detailed in our paper, Youth Civic Engagement and Activism in Expanded Learning Programs. You can view previous LIAS blogs on this topic here. You can also view a recent recording of our webinar we conducted on this topic here.
ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN ELECTIONS
- Youth Voter Movement
- When We All Vote
- 2024 My School Votes Ambassadors Program
- Rock the Vote
- The Civics Center
- Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)
- Afterschool Alliance
- News Literacy Project
- The VOICE Project
- Vote.org
- Next Gen America
- Kids Voting USA
- Alliance for Youth Action
- Vote America
- Turnout Nation
- Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
- Next Generation Politics
TOOLKITS AND OTHER RESOURCES
- Rock the Vote Democracy Class
- The Civics Center- Bringing Voter Registration to Your School
- Afterschool Alliance Election Toolkit
- Crossing the Divide- Conversations for a Brighter Future
- Center for Tech and Civic Life
ARTICLES/REPORTS
- Growing Voters: 18 Ways Youth Under 18 Can Contribute to Elections
- The Civics Center- Bringing Voter Registration to your School
- Ed Week- Michelle Obama Wants to Train Teachers to Help Students Vote
- New York Times- Election 2020: 11 Ways to Engage Students from Now Until November
VIDEOS
- Beyond the Broadcast: Covering the 2024 elections
- How Can We Get More Young People to Vote?
- Why Should Young People Vote?
- Countering the Top Excuses Young People Give for Not Voting
- "My Vote Will Count" - YelloPain ft. Sevyn Streeter
- Our Time is Now: CA Pre-Registration PSA
- What would get young people to vote? These teens have some ideas.
- Kids Voting at Manatee Bay Elementary
- Kids Voting in Francis Howell School District
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