Planning for Youth Engagement

Engaging youth in planning processes is beneficial to the community, young people, and the planning profession. Communities benefit from young people’s insights, experiences, and fresh perspectives. All are needed as we deal with rapidly evolving technology and communications and greater inclusion to overcome historic inequities in representation and participation. Conversely, young people from benefit skill-building and enhanced connections to the community. Planners benefit from gaining dynamic, inclusive, tech-savvy, and fun skills to engage audiences outside of their own demographic.

Practical examples illustrate best practices and offer guidance to help planners build the confidence to start or improve this work. Panelists share their experiences with engaging youth in planning practices, while a youth presenter from Denver explains that youth are not “future citizens,” but lived-experience experts whose contributions count — but only if they are invited into the public process.