Note to self: when inviting young people to share their ideas about their community, bring extra paper and pens. You’ll need it to document all of the real-time innovation.
Recently, Childhood Prosperity Lab facilitated its first-ever Co-Design Sprint with more youth than ever before. It was an opportunity to connect with young people and explore what matters most to them when it comes to community health and well-being. We deep dived topics ranging from leadership in North Hartford Ascend to social media and marketing, and their honest feedback was not only energizing, but catalyzed a shift in how we think about and approach and advance our work. If the week could be summed up in one message, it would be this—elevated by a participant themself: youth voice matters the most.
That belief showed up in every conversation and activity throughout the Sprint. It also led to a clear recommendation for Connecticut Children's: young people don't just want a seat at the table to shape or talk about the work—they want meaningful opportunities to co-lead it. Participants expressed a strong interest in creating a Youth Advisory Board that could help shape programs, provide ongoing feedback, and influence decisions that impact their communities.
When asked about North Hartford Ascend activities, youth overwhelmingly gravitated toward opportunities that could be designed specifically by them, for them. A community workshop series topped the list, with participants eager to learn practical life skills like baking and money management while also making space for fun and connection. And yes—homemade slime made the list, too. Bonus points if it’s edible.
The Sprint also revealed important considerations to strengthen how we engage youth for future activities. Participants shared that our current outreach materials don't always feel like they're designed for them, but for adults. Flyers could feature more photos of young people, and social media content could better reflect youth interests and experiences. In this conversation specifically, I appreciated how their priorities challenged our assumptions, as adults and providers. When asked about local influencers, youth affirmed that they do not want to see influencers promoting events in their community because then the focus becomes about popularity rather than authentic engagement.
Fortunately, they came prepared with solutions. One idea that generated excitement was creating a youth-focused Ascend Instagram account, with support from a Youth Advisory Board to help shape content, identify trends, and ensure messages feel relevant and relatable to people their age. During Thursday’s session, which focused on social media and marketing, we first designed a flyer together on chart paper. Together, we then put the prototype through ChatGPT so that it could “come to life”. Sure enough, it got the thumbs up from the youth.
The takeaway is clear: if we want a thriving community and efficient system of local supports, young people need to be more intentionally involved. By centering youth voice, we’ll nurture a vision for their future that is more relevant, responsive, and impactful.