Youth Participation Tools

If you are already convinced of the value of youth participation, this collection provides a number of guides, handbooks, tool kits, standards and other resources that you can use to get started, or to enhance your existing youth participation strategies.

Ask First! Northern Ireland Standards for Children and Young People’s Participation in Public Decision Making

Participation Network, Northern Ireland

Authentic Youth Civic Engagement: A Guide for Municipal Leaders

National League of Cities Institute on Youth, Education and Families

Building Effective Youth Councils: A Practical Guide to Engaging Youth in Policy Making (executive summary)

Forum for Youth Investment, United States

Building Effective Youth Councils: A Practical Guide to Engaging Youth in Policy Making (full report)

Forum for Youth Investment, United States

Children and young people’s involvement in formal meetings: A practical guide

Participation Works Partnership, United Kingdom

Engaging children and young people in community planning

The Scottish Executive

Engaging Youth: A How-To Guide for Creating Opportunities for Young People to Participate, Lead and Succeed

Sierra Health Foundation, United States

Get Youth on Board Toolkit: Establishment of Structures for Youth Participation & Youth Promotion

German Society for Technical Cooperation

Get Youth on Board Toolkit: Youth Participation

German Society for Technical Cooperation

Involving Youth in Public Policy

California Adolescent Health Collaborative, United States

Mentoring Youth for Success on Boards and Commissions

Article from Youth Leadership Institute’s Young Active Citizens curriculum, United States

New energy, ideas and perspectives: How young people are creating change across the Commonwealth

Australian Youth Affairs Coalition

A guide to engaging young people in your work, with examples from across the Commonwealth. Also includes five principles for best practice in youth engagement.

Organizational Assessment Checklist

Based on "14 Points: Successfully Involving Youth in Decision Making" from Youth on Board, United States

Participatory Evaluation with Young People

University of Michigan School of Social Work, Program for Youth and Community

Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life "Have Your Say" manual

Council of Europe

Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life "Have Your Say" manual, plain language edition

Council of Europe

Say Y.E.S. to Youth: Youth Engagement Strategies

Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension

Setting Standards for Youth Participation: Self Assessment Guide for Governance & Programmes

International Planned Parenthood Foundation