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the independent voice for Kentucky's children

Youth Engagement

Research shows that civic knowledge and community involvement are declining in the United States, as evidenced by poor voting rates amongst young adults.  New findings indicate adults with low levels of engagement were once youth similarly detached to the community.  In fact, studies suggest that the greatest predictor of an individual’s civic noninvolvement is past noninvolvement.

Purpose

Kentucky Youth Advocates' youth engagement program intends to serve two purposes:

  1. To incorporate youth perspectives into the organization’s existing work.
  2. To impart the organization’s expertise in data-based advocacy to individual youth and youth-serving organizations. 
 

Goals

Accordingly, the goals of KYA’s youth engagement program include:

  • More successfully advocating for state and local policies benefiting Kentucky children and youth.
  • Teaching youth leadership skills and offering opportunities for meaningful civic participation.
  • Cultivating Kentucky’s upcoming generation of leaders and citizens.

Current Initiatives

  • Children's Advocacy Day at the Capitol. Forty students from Harlan and Jefferson counties attended Children's Advocacy Day (CAD) on February 7, 2008. Youth, ages 13 to 18, began meeting with KYA staff in the fall of 2007 to learn about data-based advocacy strategies and specific Kentucky policies affecting children and youth. In January, youth participants selected specific issues to research for the event, including health and dental care, preschool education, booster seats, cyber bullying, child care accessibility, payday lending, and a state Earned Income Tax Credit. During CAD, student representatives led the kick off rally, with eight youth speakers presenting the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children to more than 500 advocates. Afterwards, youth participants met with legislators, attended committee meetings, and sat in on House and Senate sessions.

  • Jefferson County KIDS COUNT Release.  On November 9, 2007, 18 Jefferson County students from Eastern High School, DuPont Manual High School, and Saint Xavier High School presented the 2007 KIDS COUNT Kentucky County Data Book to community leaders at Metro United Way.
    • Read an article from the Courier Journal about the event.
  • Appalachia As We See it: Photos from Harlan Youth.  Congregation Adath Jeshurun sponsored a photography project for 10 Harlan Independent middle school students in August and September 2007.  Youth photographed both strengths and challenges in their community and then presented the project in Louisville on September 8, 2007.