Making Space, Making Change

Models for Youth-Led Social Change Organizations

Abstract

*Focus on the United States and Canada | Reports from the Field

Making Space Making Change explores youth-led organizational models and specifically the importance of community context in building youth-led models that work for youth leaders and adult allies. The paper focuses on how youth involvement and leadership within organizations changes organizational method, goals and successes and how structured internal organizational relationships can reflect community goals. Two case studies of youth-led social change groups illustrate this inquiry. These models span the range from fully youth-led and youthgoverned to a youth leadership project in an adult-led organization; each example represents a unique solution to the question of how to empower young people in the roles of community and organizational leadership. This paper and its research were conducted and written collaboratively by five youth leaders and a key adult ally.